New York Islanders Ice Quality Causing Low Scoring

We keep hearing that the New York Islanders have the worst ice in the NHL. Well, now we’ll hopefully find out how true, or untrue that is.

According to Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos, the NHL will be asking players to grade the ice after every game in the month of February. The NHL and NHLPA is being told from its players that the quality of the ice is the main impediment to scoring.

So, in the valiant effort to increase scoring to 1980’s levels, the NHL will get the players to answer questions about ice conditions at all NHL arenas.

According to Kypreos, players will be asked to answer questions like: “how fast or slow was the ice” and whether it was “hard”.

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That means, thanks to this survey, we’ll finally be able to answer the age-old question: “Is the ice at the Barclays the worst in the league?”

Ok. Maybe that’s not an age-old question. But it’s certainly one that needs answering. Just the other night as the islanders were set to face the Maple Leafs, this little gem of a tweet made its rounds on social media.

You’re probably tired of hearing about PVC/Metal tubing, or just general disparaging comments about the ice.

The ice isn’t perfect and the stadium/part-time arena wasn’t built for hockey. Yup. It’s true. But let’s remember one thing here.

The islanders aren’t the ones who canceled a game this season because of poor ice conditions. That honor belongs to the Carolina Hurricanes.

Or how about this beauty from Arthur Staple back in November when he asked Tampa Bay Lightning players about the difference between the ice at Amelie Arena and the Barclay Center.

What I hope to hear from this little survey experiment the NHL is conducting, if anything at all, is that the Barclays ice ranks low, but above the bottom. Right where it should be.

I expect arenas like Arizona, Tampa, Florida, and Carolina to occupy the bottom rankings. Warmer weather just leads to troublesome ice conditions. I expect Barclays to rank just above them.

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So maybe, just maybe, writers like Rob Longley can get their facts straight and avoid embarrassing blunder of saying the Barclays ice is the worst in the league.