Charles Wang Looking To Sell The Islanders...???

New York Islanders owner Charles Wang is talking to potential buyers about selling the majority of his stake in the team.

TSN's Bob McKenzie Tweeted this out shortly after midnight:

NYI owner Charles Wang in talks to sell majority stake in NHL franchise. Nothing done yet, no telling if it gets done, but talks underway.

The franchise loses eight-figures a year. Josh Kosman over at the New York Post, reported over a year ago, that Wang was looking at the Raine Group to kick the tires on a sale. IN the same article, Kosman says that Wang and the Islanders face a $75 million loan repayment at the end of this season.

Wang has been the Islanders' majority stakeholder since 2004, when he bought out the share of business partner Sanjay Kumar. He wanted to (and rightfully so) get the team out of the craphole that is the Nassau Coliseum. Wang suggested a multi-billion dollar redevelopment of commercial, residential, and athletic space called the Lighthouse Project.


The measure failed after almost a decade of debate on the Island and Wang's frustration has been evident since.

The Islanders are set to move to the Barclays Center for the start of the 2015-16 season. Here was an interview Wang did with Mike Francesa at the time of the announcement
((HT: YES Network))


Islanders fans seem excited about the deal moving the team in town...

A 13-Round Shootout... Really...

((HT: NHL/SunSports))

The end of the Tampa Bay-Islanders game may have set back the idea of the shootout hundreds of years...

It went 13 rounds before it was settled...
Here's the ending...


Maybe, the international rules in the shootout- namely, having shooters come back in unlimited numbers (remember TJ Oshie over in Sochi...?) is the solution... or, is it 3-on-3...???

You tell us...

Epic Collapse: Canucks Give Up 7 In The 3rd

((HT: Sportsnet))

There really are no words for this other than "total and utter shock"

The Canucks were up 3-0 going into the third period and lost 7-3...

Yep...highlights...
And Torts was stunned...
How have the Canucks lost 12 of their last 14...???

That's a good example of how...

Garth Snow Hot Over Tavares Injury...And He Has A Good Reason...

((HT: NHL))

And the HQ is in his corner on this one...

The Islanders GM, Garth Snow, is livid over the season-ending injury to star forward John Tavares at the hands of Latvian defenseman Arturs Kulda- even wondering if the IIHF and IOC wold pay his season ticket holders back since Tavares is done for the year...

“It’s a joke. They want all the benefits from NHL players in Olympics and don’t want to pay when our best player gets hurt,” Snow told Arthur Staple of Newsday. “It wouldn’t matter if we were 10 points up on a playoff spot or 10 points out. We lost our best player and he wasn’t playing for us.”

Snow now joins a small chorus of folks who aren't fans of the renewal of the agreement between the NHL and IIHF for the 2018 games in Korea. But that answer will come in the next six months or so...

Here's reaction from morning skate for the Islanders...


It's a meniscus tear and an MCL tear for Tavares' left knee and, separately, the chorus for the return of the World Cup of Hockey is returning...

John Tavares Class In Self-Dentistry

((HT: Sportsnet/CSNChicago))

If a puck hits you in the mush, what do you do...???

If you're Islanders star John Tavares, you take care of bid-ness...

Ewww...
Just ewww...

But not a surprise...

Matt Cooke REALLY Wants To Get Off The Ice

((HT: Sportsnet/ROOT Sports/NHL))

The Islanders-Pens series is, surprisingly, good television...

But for those of us who thought it was going to be four-and-out for fantasy purposes, it's turning into a bit of a headache...

And that's what Matt Cooke's job is for the Penguins...

But when he's not let off the ice... he takes matters into his own hands and doesn't let go...

Matt Martin, we think, wasn't amused...

Your Afternoon NHL Overtimes...Minnesota and Pittsburgh

((HT: NHL on NBC))

The Pittsburgh Penguins went down 2-0 in the first playoff game at Nassau Coliseum since 1742.
But then two goals in nineteen seconds (on the power play) tied it up, the Pens took a 3-2 lead, and a 4-2 lead before the Islanders came back to force overtime.

Chris Kunitz's second goal of the day gave the Pens the win and a 2-1 series lead with Game 4 Monday night...
And the Minnesota Wild needed a win badly justd to get on the board after losing the first two games of their 1/8 series with the Chicago Blackhawks... and after Duncan Keith's goal with a little less than three minutes left sent the game to free hockey. But the Wild got some help from Jason Zucker... From a helluvan angle...

DEVELOPING: Islanders Heading To Brooklyn--Updated

New York Islanders owner Charles Wang has tried for a long time to find a new home for his hockey club- whether it's in New York or elsewhere (like, Kansas City)

Now, it appears that the Barclays Center in Brooklyn will be their new home in 2015 when the team's lease runs out at the antiquated (and downright nasty and outdated) Nassau Coliseum. The team announced Wednesday, they've signed a 25-year deal.

NHL Commish Gary Bettman hasn't been all that sold on the idea of a move to Barclays because capacity for hockey would be even less than MTS Centre in Winnipeg, but he'll be at the afternoon presser along with Wang, Islanders personnel, and other muckety-mucks.

As far back as 2003, Wang tried to introduce what became known as the "Lighthouse Project"- a billion-dollar redevelopment of the area on Long Island, but voters turned down the idea of bonds associated with the deal.

The funny thing about this is considering the current tenor of talks between the NHL and it's players, there is no guarantee there will ever be a game in Brooklyn. The NHL and the NHLPA have been at odds for months and a recent olive branch extended by the league was tossed aside by NHLPA president Donald Fehr. Many are starting to wonder if the league will be able to survive this latest stoppage in play.

OSHA has even been breathing down Nassau Coliseum's neck- citing the building for 16 violations including asbestos exposure. SMG, the manager of the Coliseum is saying that the issue has been fixed.




We don't anticipate the Isles opening night (whenever that is) will match this, however...
((HT: NigelDMedia))

He's Back. Sid The Kid Awesome In Return

If its a big moment in hockey Sidney Crosby is there. He scored the overtime goal in the first Winter Classic game in Buffalo. Crosby lifted the Stanley Cup as the Pittsburgh Penquins captain a few years ago then he scored the golden goal in the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver that gave Canada an Olympic Gold Medal.

Now back after a 10 month layoff from concussion like symptoms, Sid the kid was well very Crosby like.

Two goals and 2 assists in his return as the Pens crushed the New York Islanders 5-0. All is well now in the hockey world.

Here's the highlights from the Pens/Islanders game. (Thanks Root Sports Pittsburgh)



Here's Sidney Crosby's post game presser. (PensTV Online)

Isles Strome Goes Between The Legs

((HT: New York Islanders))

The HQ is never far away from hockey season...

Let's go to Islanders rookie camp and first rounder Ryan Strome is involved in the team's shootout at practice...

Here's Strome's beauty...


Sweet...