For hockey lovers, Oct. 7, the first day of the NHL regular season, has been a much-awaited date. For New York Islander fans specifically, the ninth of October holds even more weight as it is the first game of the Isles’ regular season and the first ever regular season game played in Brooklyn’s Barclays Center.
The Barclays Center is a well-equipped, state-of-the-art arena compared to the dated Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum where the Islanders have played since their first season in 1972. However, there is a buzz of dissatisfaction with the move in Islanders nation.
There is a wide range of reactions to the move from happy, to indifferent, to frustrated to all-out abandonment regarding the move. I can understand the frustration and dissatisfaction from those who live close to Hempstead, New York’s, Coliseum. The team has been a local mainstay for over four decades and is close to the Long Island Expressway., the Northern and Southern State Parkway. There are also some physical disadvantages of the Barclays as a hockey venue, but does the move warrant as much negativity as it has been receiving?
I think it would take much more than a relatively minor move to make abandoning one’s favorite team justifiable. When the Islanders’ contract with the Coliseum was about to expire and everyone knew they would not renew there was a lot of speculation that the team would go to Kansas City, Missouri or Quebec City, Canada. Compared to a move to another state or country, the move to another county on Long Island is peanuts. They kept their name, still play in New York and are still on the island. For some reason the “Kansas City Islanders” just doesn’t make much sense. What many fans fail to think of is the increased draw for fans from within NYC and points north. The new home in Brooklyn is interesting because it helps the team branch out as a member of NYC’s five boroughs.
Another thing which has drawn a lot of negativity is the team’s new third jersey. It is mostly black and white with a small presence of orange. Many complain that it lacks a sense of tradition and is a sell-out to the Brooklyn Nets fans. The best way to get rid of it is to vote with your dollars and refuse to buy it. In any event, and maybe it’s just me, jerseys should play second fiddle to athletic ability. If a team wins me a Stanley Cup, I don’t care if the players skate around in pink dresses. It definitely would not be pretty, but as long as they win, I could live with it.
There should be some more smiles in Isles nation. This past season proved to be one of the most impressive seasons in recent years. The combination of experienced players like Johnny Boychuk and Nick Leddy plus young, already-established players like Travis Hamonic and Brock Nelson. Plus new call-ups like Michael Dal Colle should prove to build the team into a consistent contender for years to come. At least that’s the plan.
