Eyes On Isles
Fansided

Islanders Have Best Owners In New York Sports

By Matt O'Leary|
UNIONDALE, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 21: (L-R) Jon Ledecky and Scott Malkin attend the retirement ceremony for John Tonelli that celebrated his career with the New York Islanders and saw his jersey retired and raised to the rafters of NYCB Live's Nassau Coliseum on February 21, 2020 in Uniondale, New York. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
UNIONDALE, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 21: (L-R) Jon Ledecky and Scott Malkin attend the retirement ceremony for John Tonelli that celebrated his career with the New York Islanders and saw his jersey retired and raised to the rafters of NYCB Live's Nassau Coliseum on February 21, 2020 in Uniondale, New York. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

They say success starts at the top, with ownership, in sports. For the New York Islanders that couldn’t be more true. In fact, the hockey franchise from Uniondale, New York has the best ownership group in New York and it’s really not all that close.

After what the team went through from the 90s through the mid-2010s it’s almost unfathomable to believe that the team has the best owners in the sports landscape, but that’s the reality of the Isles situation.

Brian Compton of NHL.com asked Jon Ledecky this week how the Islanders have had so much success over the last three years and his answer was a good one.

First, he names the Hall of Fame General Manager that he hired to run the team after evaluating that they need a change from Garth Snow running the show. Then he names the coach that said Hall of Famer hired, who happens to be a future Hall of Famer himself.

Most importantly, they stay out of the way. Far too often, ownership gets way too involved with the day to day operation of the team. James Dolan, Jeff Wilpon, Woody Johnson, at times the Steinbrenner’s all have done this as owners.

Not Jon Ledecky and Scott Malkin. They hired the best possible hockey people for the job and let the hockey people figure it out. What sound logic! The ego was put aside and they’ve just enjoyed the ride.

Sure, it cost them a pretty penny along the way but what makes them also stand out from the pack is their willingness to spend whatever it takes to do the right thing. They realize, they can make more money on their investment if the product they’re putting out there is actually good.

Oh, and they also got the team out of a horrendous situation, temporarily put them back at the Nassau Coliseum, and are in the process of building an absolute palace at Belmont Park. No seriously, let’s use this as an excuse to look at pictures of UBS.

Ledecky and Malkin are the best owners in New York sports. Yes, the Steinbrenner family is fantastic. The Mets are also in great hands with Steve Cohen, both of those things are true but they’re fighting for second place.

Ledecky and Malkin literally saved the franchise and they deserve all the love from this fan base.

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