New York Islanders Daily: Closing In On Coliseum Deal

The New York Islanders might just be returning home to the Coliseum after all. It’s being reported that the Islanders are returning to the old barn, temporarily.

Since the New York Islanders left in 2015, the fans have pondered when or if this team would ever return. We might finally have a real answer after all these years. Not speculation, not some basement blogger’s hypothesis (terrible self-awareness, I know), or some hot take on Twitter.

It’s a legit report that the Islanders have a deal in place to play part of their season next year at the Nassau Coliseum.

Here’s what Jim Baumbach of Newsday said:

The Islanders are expected to play 12 games at the renovated Coliseum next season and — if all goes well with those games — they expect to play about half of their regular season schedules in the other remaining years prior to moving to Belmont, the sources said.The earliest the Islanders’ new Belmont arena will likely be ready is 2021-22 season, meaning they need an interim arena for three more seasons.

While I’m happy the Islanders are returning in a sense, I think it’d be beneficial to just play the entire home schedule at one location. Flipping back and forth for games is oddly peculiar and not an ideal situation for the team or its fans.

I’d prefer the Islanders to return to the Coliseum full time from 2019-2021 until the new place is ready. The Islanders are last in the league in attendance in Brooklyn, why not sell the Coliseum out every night for a couple years instead of being a cellar dweller in attendance.

Does this team ever do anything right?

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