New York Islanders Hire Pittsburgh Penguins COO Travis Williams

The revamp of the organization off the ice continues. A report has emerged indicating that the New York Islanders have hired Pittsburgh Penguins Chief Operating Officer.

The New York Islanders continue to make big moves off the ice. On Friday, a report from the Pittsburgh Gazette by Jason Mackey states that the Islanders hired Pittsburgh Penguins Chief Operating Officer Travis Williams.

Williams has been with the Penguins for eleven years. According to his bio on the Penguins website, William’s responsibility is day-to-day business and arena operations.

With Belmont being the major focus for ownership, bringing someone in who successfully guided an arena migration and was able to run the day-to-day business ops is key. And Williams checks both boxes.

Bringing In Quality

While Willilams’ most recent responsibilities were to oversee the day-to-day business operations and arena operations, he was also responsible for the arena migration from the Civic Arena to the now PPG Paints Arena that the Penguins went through in 2010.

Again, from his Penguins bio:

"One of his first responsibilities was to guide the construction and development of the team’s new arena – bringing the project to completion on time and under budget for the start of the 2010-11 season."

The New York Islanders are clearly in need of help. They have to balance playing in two home arena’s while also juggling the Belmont portfolio. It’s a ton to handle.

Not to mention that the Islanders will eventually have to reclaim their business responsibilities. In the move to Barclay’s Center, the Islanders relinquished that responsibility to Brett Yormark and co.

We don’t exactly know what Williams’s responsibilities will be but he will surely oversee the day-to-day business operations while also having to build a staff underneath him. What we do know is he’ll be taking a “larger role” with the Islanders.

This continues the wave of the Islanders bringing in talented individuals off the ice. It all started with Lou Lamoriello as the President and then General Manager, followed by Barry Trotz and then Mitch Korn.

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It finally feels like the New York Islanders are being run by competent adults. People are being brought in with pedigree to oversee various parts of the organization as it grows into a proper NHL franchise. Finally.