Who & When, Is Who Playing ... Where?

While Individual Islanders tickets will go on sale Sept. 3, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers have released their 2013-14 season schedule.  They open against W/S Pens and are home for their first 5 games of the AHL season.  Their games are a great time for any Isles fan.  If you haven't gotten to Bridgeport, you should do so soon.

 

Recently, there has been a bit of a fan ripple about even where the Sound Tigers will play after the Coliseum development plan was announced with Forest City Ratner at the wheel.  Ed Mangano mentioned the Islanders' owned, Sound Tigers would be coming to play at the Coliseum soon, despite being contractually obligated to their CT. home for another 8 years.  Sound Tigers President, Howard Saffan says the team is committed to Bridgeport and are focused on their 13th home opener on October, 5th.

 

Michael Fornabaio mentions that If the Sound Tigers move on, Harbor Yard's active sports agreement mandates a professional hockey tenant in the facility.  Its no secret that if the BST move, the Hardford Wolfpack would probably be the most obvious tenant for the building.

 

 

 

 

 

"It's wonderful that Barclays is the developer," Saffan said. "We wholeheartedly support that. We'll see what tomorrow brings."

So Ratner and Mangano spoke on more details for the development of the Coliseum.  It seems the Isles will fulfill the final year of their lease and open the 2015 season in Brooklyn. 

 

 

 

 

 

The Isles are still expected to play 6 games in their newly renovated, former home when applicable.  Chris Botta nails it when he mentioned the press conference regarding the development of the NVMC HUB property, "Nassau County politicians lost the New York Islanders and are now taking bows at the site where 4 straight Stanley Cups were won."

 

 

 

 

Isles Notes:

Isles forward @ColinMcDonald13 will be at the NVMC Team Store on Wednesday, September 4th!

Per nhlfreeagents.com, Former Isles (F) Petteri Nokelainen signed by Brynäs of the SHL (Sweden).

Per @EyeOnHockey, "NHL All-time teams: Today it's the New York Islanders."  

 

NHL Notes:

 

The NHL salary cap could reportedly rise to $80 million by 2017-18.       

 

 

**My thanks to all of my readers who come to me from Facebook and similar sources.  As a fan blogger, my only intention is to share Isles information and give my position on the team and its future.  All I ever want to do is be a fan with all of you and I feel fortunate to give you my take on the New York islanders in this way.**

The Coliseum To Be Developed By ....

After Charles Wang and Nassau County struggled to agree on a plan to redevelop the NVMC HUB over several years and after Millions of dollars were spent in planning research, there was little hope the Isles would remain tied to the Coliseum in any way.  Things would get even more strange when the rival Rangers only got a 10 year lease extension after a pricey renovation of MSG and the floundering Devils apparent bankruptcy looming before being sold along with the Prudential Center today to Josh Harris and company, The Islanders finally found a home at Brooklyn's state-of-the-art Barclays Center for a long time to come.  But Nassau County and their crumbling Coliseum would remain without any real plans of resurrection, until today.

 

Nassau County has announced Forest City Ratner, Barclays Center has won the right to redevelop Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum.  That meant James Dolan and MSG were out maneuvered and out worked in an attempt to land the HUB project.  This came as a great relief to most Isles fans who weren't too excited about shrines of MSG in the hallowed halls where their Islanders celebrated the achievements of bringing four straight Stanley Cups to Long Island.  Isles Fans-1, Dolan and MSG-0.

 

Kevin Schultz of IPB notes, "I think a lot of people underestimated the Wang-Ratner-Mangano connection. All three have worked with each other on various phases."

 

Per Laura Figueroa, "Ed Mangano says he will join NEC (Forest City Ratner) officials at Nassau Coliseum Friday at 11a to announce plans for programming."  In addition, "Mangano said there has been "no talk" about Isles breaking Aug 1 2015 lease to play at coliseum. NEC plan would bring team for 6 games."  Figueroa mentioned, "Mangano said Bruce Ratner proposal offered $1.4M more annually in revenue than MSG."

 

Another scenario to keep in mind would be for the Islanders Organization to relocate the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, the Isles top affiliate (AHL) to a renovated Coliseum. Per Murphy Siegel, "Every single Isles fan needs to hold their horses. Sound Tigers' lease in CT doesn't terminate until 2021. Nassau will have to wait."

 

I was just as thrilled as everyone else when I heard the news this morning, but fans need to be realistic.  They need to understand although this move "may" enable the Isles to get out of their lease and start playing in Brooklyn at the Barclays Center a year early, it WONT mean the Isles could return to the Coliseum.  That is a long term deal and a business venture by all involved.  The Islanders will improve in Brooklyn.

 

Per Chris Botta, " MSG statement on Coliseum (excerpts): MSG still feels it has best "and most realistic" plan for Nassau ... So MSG will put up a fight, Mangano decision has to go to Legislature, and there's an election in November. Coliseum saga not quite over."

Raised in a Barn T-Shirt available from Tri-State CO-OP.

 

Per Brett Yormark, "Next up nassau. Really excited to bring the best to long island. Work starts now."

 

 

 

 

Isles Notes For Early August

Members of the New York Islanders and New York Rangers along with the New Jersey Devils met with NHL executives met at Yankee Stadium Thursday, August 8th to discuss their involvement in the 2014 Coors Light Stadium Series.  Islanders, John Tavares threw out a first pitch (with Greene and Girardi) at a game between the Yankees and Tigers in the stadium the following day.

The Islanders will host the Rangers on January 29 seen on the NHL Network, three days after the Rangers and Devils do battle in similar fashion.

Per islanders.nhl.com, “It sure will be a great event not just individually, but as a team to showcase where we want to get to and where we're headed,” Tavares said. “Growing up with backyard rinks and ponds in Canada, it's going to have a special feeling. To be playing in New York, at Yankee Stadium – we probably won’t realize just how special it is until afterward or maybe during the game while we’re taking it all in.”

 

 

Per Arthur Staple, Moulson on contract situation: "Thats what I pay my agent for. I’m going to try to help this team win games and make sure my mind’s on that."

 

Per nhlfreeagents.com, "Former Winnipeg Jets (F) Jason Gregoire signed by Södertälje of Allsvenskan (Sweden2)."  Gregorie was a former Isles prospect who used a contractual loophole to leave Isles organization along with Blake Kessel who is currently an unrestricted free agent without a team.  Grass looks greener, huh guys?  How about you Brenden Kichton?

IPB:  Coliseum Developer to Be Announced Wednesday.

UPDATE:

Per Chris Botta, "Coliseum announcement postponed until tomorrow (Thursday) in wake of news of Nassau police officer Mohit Arora's shooting."

 

Sound Tigers Notes:

Bridgeport Sound Tigers signed (F) Justin Johnson, (F) Ben Rosen, (D) Mathieu Coderre-Gagnon, (D) Sean Escobedo and (G) Parker Milner.

 

NHL Notes:

Per Adam Proteau, "For what it's worth, I heard from a veteran hockey executive today who thinks the NHL's next expansion will put teams in Seattle...& Vegas."

Hockey Notes:

National Junior Evaluation Camp finals: USA 5, Canada 1. SOG: USA 13 (25 total), CAN 5 (25 total). Shore scores twice, Gillies stops 24 shots.

 

The Long Island Dragons Hockey Team is back!

 

Incredibly sad news: A 16-year-old junior hockey prospect has died after collapsing during a QMJHL training camp.