Yesterday, I suggested that the Barclays Center in Brooklyn - future home of the New Jersey Nets - wasn't a potential home for the New York Islanders. But that could change.
In April, officials from Forest City Ratner - the developers building the Barclays Center - told NetsDaily.com that they had made some deliberate decisions that made the new arena unsuitable for hosting an NHL club. But just hours after Nassau County voters rejected a plan to fund development of a new home for the Islanders, the developers seem to be changing their tune. Officials now claim that the new arena will be fitted for hockey when it opens next fall. It would make a great deal of financial sense for Nets management to pursue the Islanders - having a full slate of NHL games in addition to the Nets' home schedule would go a long way towards filling the new arena's event calendar.
That doesn't mean the Barclays Center would be an ideal home for the Islanders, though. Seating capacity is a major issue. The Barclays Center will seat 14,500 when configured for hockey, which is around 2,000 less than the Islanders' current home - already the smallest venue in the NHL.
Despite the result of yesterday's vote, Nassau County officials are reportedly optimistic about keeping the team in place. If that falls through, Isles' owner Charles Wang should expect a call from Mikhail Prokhorov, though groups in Kansas City, several Canadian cities, and possibly Seattle could also be interested in buying the team.
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