NEW YORK (WFAN) — The Islanders’ owners are committed to keeping the team in New York but a long-term return to Nassau Coliseum isn’t the answer, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said Thursday.
Talking to WFAN’s Mike Francesa, Bettman conceded that it’s “probably true” that neither the Islanders nor Barclays Center are happy with the team’s current arrangment. However, the commissioner didn’t feel comfortable predicting a divorce.
“What that ultimately means, I’m not sure anybody’s reached a definitive conclusion,” he said.
The Islanders moved from Nassau Coliseum to Brooklyn’s Barclays Center before last season, but Barclays officials have reportedly concluded the venue would be better off financially without the Islanders, leaving the NHL franchise scrambling to find a new home.