NEW YORK ISLANDER FAN CENTRAL

New York Islanders Should Play 41 Home Games At Barclay's Center

2013-05-17T21:38:00.000-04:00

Garth Snow gave an audio interview on 5/17 on a likely quiet/not a lot of noise 7/5, and said the team is in the process of designing it's lockeroom at Barclay's Center.

He also again used the word he did not like to use in 2009................Rebuilding.

Jack Capuano also gave an audio interview 5/17.
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You announce the team is moving, sign a twenty five year iron-clad lease, that's it.

In a recent entry, I thew in a sarcastic comment that maybe the Islanders should also play ten games in Quebec to go with the six that were offered to the Coliseum in the Ratner bid, because that's what this is.

The team should play at home, that's no longer the Nassau Coliseum whether that happens in one year or two years.

There is a fan base to build, and a new home to hype, that's not at a downsized Nassau Coliseum.

No NHL team will ever play a regular season game in the Nassau Coliseum ever again after the New York Islanders leave.

NHL teams have to play in their home arena, unless they are given an outdoor game. This is not the era of neutral site games anymore which was very short-lived.

The Devils have never returned to East Rutherford, the Caps never went back to Landover once they moved inside the city limits. The Sabres never went back to the AUD.

I do not agree at all with the New York Islanders playing six games at a downsized Nassau Coliseum.

Mitchell Theoret discusses his future with the New York Islanders here.

Lockout Over At New York Islander Fan Central/Moving Forward

2013-05-12T15:39:00.001-04:00

With the conclusion of the forty eight game cash-grab by the NHL/NHLPA for the New York Islanders the lockout of discussing the NHL team here is now officially over.

Charles Wang was in the front row cheering the NY Dragons in a playoff game, four days later the team was sold. Business decisions will be made from the head, not the heart.

Obviously many things happened during the forty eight game whatever you want to call it. Some will have great bearing on 2013-14, others no so much.

What Worked/What Failed/What Was An Illusion During Forty Eight Games?

* This team was 16-16-3 on March 30th. Despite the impressive stretch of losing only one regulation game, they still could not even win more than three games in a row over forty eight games. They were a great road team with the deck stacked against them with the opening/closing road trips.

* Chemistry sometimes happens out of nowhere, the first home Florida win where they finally held on in the third period seemed the beginning of the trends changing.

* The chemistry that produced many of those low shot against, low scoring wins broke for good during the final five game in eight day streak with this team having nothing by the time they reached Carolina, and were lucky to secure a point in that game or Buffalo.

That's understandable because no team plays at that high a level forever, and especially under such pressure/travel but what was disturbing was Hickey was not the same dominating player, and had to be pulled from playoff games.

Brian Strait was not the steady player he was earlier before his injury.

The defensive chemistry never really returned.

* This was a team that played forty eight games, who were tied or leading after all but seven games, and even came back in three of them to earn points which is how you make the playoffs. It's the best example of progression, but no guarantee moving forward as we saw with the second half Islanders under interim head coach Capuano. It also proves what any defense can do as long as it can skate, forcing play at the opposition which was impossible with 2011-12/prior defenders.

* A little healthy depth was also something not seen here in countless years.

The Big Decisions:
The New York Islanders are a team supposedly moving, but may be returning to play six games in it's former home. That's an unheard of set of circumstances that reflects it's binding lease is hardly iron-clad, and it's business still very much unsettled.

The same can absolutely be said about Bridgeport with Ratner/Yormark offering an AHL team to their Coliseum bid.

Jack Capuano-I'm not sure Jack Capuano is a lock to be back with his contract up. That will likely be decided immediately if a change is made. He has to be judged on all 48 games, if that decision were made on March 30th, the call for his dismissal would be very loud because if his team was simply successful at home they are a top seed.

Fan Base: Another season 30th in attendance with only twenty four games to pay for hardly believed anything until it was time to start front-running for a few weeks. Even coming home to play the Flyers, the building was hardly filled, and that was with the usual strong Flyer turnout.

Are the New York Islander fans finally willing to pay hundreds of dollars for a weeknight ticket in November against the other conference that so many other markets do win or lose, or will it be 2002-03 where the fans expected ownership to keep the prices at 1980's levels, and stayed home when prices went up to support the players signed even with more playoff appearances?

If you considered the forty eight games a true sign the franchise is on the right track 15,000 plus have to be in the stands for weeknight home games in October 2013. The excuses since 1989 end now. If Florida can fill the seats, the same people coming for a few weeks can do it over six months for once like everyone else does around this league.

Rick DiPietro-The story changes because the CBA changed. Kevin Poulin sat on an NHL bench during his worst AHL season while DiPietro played eighteen games to expected results with rust a factor, but finally proving durable.

When the time came to select goaltenders for playoffs Poulin, and Anders Nilsson ill virtually all season off two games started the final weekend were both called up before DiPietro with Nabokov either exhausted, hurt, or struggling badly.

It's a terrible sign moving forward for DiPietro's future regardless of his health, he may well have been the best alternative.

Evgeny Nabokov-Will be a tough decision but given the NHL goaltending landscape he may not find a better situation. His play carried the club for most of the forty eight games. This is a goaltender who walked away from 24m in the KHL, was forced to play 82 games for 500k, and liked it so much he resigned.

Mark Streit-New York Statement On 1/16/13 For 2013-14 To Resign Mark Streit Now still applies. He should demand even more money for playing with a frequent healthy scratch in Ottawa, Matt Carker, or re-re cycled, Radek Martinek.

Someone's going to overpay, and give him a true top four defender as a partner.

Brad Boyes-Points not withstanding, and a few nice defensive back-checks, he's not the answer nor should he be anywhere near the first line. There are better prospects waiting/better free agents if necessary, he created virtually nothing besides a good shot in a 6-1 loss in Pittsburgh.

Matt Moulson-The bubble finally broke down the stretch, he had to be separated from Tavares. He'll be back but again can someone produce more to take focus off Tavares, and give him more room?

Okposo/Bailey-The production has to catch up to the hard work, we have all seen enough stretches of both.

Cizikas-Was a bigger overall factor than Nielsen.

The NHL Moving Forward:
* Under Bettman's new unbalanced conference division format the 48 game New York Islanders lose out to Columbus/Detroit this year.

* The disparity between teams only becomes worse as payrolls go down one year, then head toward 80m with usual front-loading advantages by corporate teams in a sport all top players have NT/NMC.

Bottom Line:
When you prove you can win over 82 games in six months, that's when things have changed. A five hundred club after thirty plus games in a forty eight game season has a long way to go.

There are a few signs this is now built to last, but until it happens it's nothing but words.

Yes, the Islanders played even or better against a top seed, sure another point or two and they likely beat Montreal. One high stick against Ottawa they are likely a sixth or seventh seed.

Just words, it did not happen. Too bad we did not get a full 82 game season to find out.

Now we will. the lockout here is over.

Ratner Offering AHL Team For Coliseum With Islander Home Games?

2013-05-05T10:20:00.001-04:00

As much as folks (myself) want to move on from this subject, it's absolutely become something of critical importance to the future of the New York Islanders, and especially now the Bridgeport Sound Tigers.

Brett Yormark from the Nets confirmed an AHL team to the Coliseum on 5/10 in an audio interview 6:10 mark.

Why sign a twenty five year, so-called iron-clad lease, then have your new landlord offer your team play six games a year back in a down-sized Coliseum after less than seven months after the Brooklyn press conference?

Is this how you really increase your fan base or start building one in Brooklyn or make money? Does five games at a downsized Coliseum every year become ten in Quebec with this so-called iron clad lease.

It also seems virtually everyone has an American Hockey League franchise all set to bring to the Nassau Coliseum.

Bruce Ratner:
If Bruce Ratner speaks for Charles Wang, his NHL team is moving, but coming back, an AHL team will be brought in to compete with the Sound Tigers or it will be Wang's team in Bridgeport moving.

There have been many entries here with comments on the Bridgeport Sound Tigers lease, with quotes from team President, Howard Saffan, that Charles Wang's AHL franchise will be in Bridgeport until 2021 with a binding lease, in a building Charles Wang operates/renovated this year.

So where is Mr Ratner getting his AHL team from?

Where are all these bidders getting their AHL franchises from besides Dolan?

Why Now?
It's being decided by June or July at the latest, it's an election year, the bidding is over.

I know some of our teams fans besides being 30th in attendance, only care about owners throwing money out the window on free agents, but this is what pays for those front-loaded contracts.

So you better care a little because you are not getting a 2013 payroll at 1975 ticket prices.

You Need An Updated Scorecard To Tell The Players:
There have been a few fascinating trades along the way too.

Wang's Lighthouse/Marriott, Sublease, partner, Scott Rechler, in with Msg/Dolan bid? So much for them being best pals.

Dolan's former Msg President, Dave Checketts, who was practically escorted out of Msg in 2007 in with Bruce Ratner for John Davidson's whatever ceremony:

Just below it, the Dolan stench-maker was at full throttle. Davidson was given a suite for the day - but with one restriction: Members of the Blues' new New York-based ownership/management team, the men who used to work for the Garden, including ex-Garden president Dave Checketts, Ken Munoz and Mike McCarthy, were denied entrance.

That's right, an NHL team owner made it clear that fellow NHL team owners were not welcomed in Jimmy's Playhouse, er, Madison Square Garden, on the day their teams played each other.

"A couple of weeks ago I heard I'd not be welcomed into the suite they were giving J.D.," said McCarthy. "And then I couldn't even buy tickets through the Garden. I eventually had to buy them on StubHub.

"I always took the high road; I never did anything but good for Madison Square Garden; I gave everything I had to the Garden, and for 23 years. And now I'm not even welcomed to set foot in the place. It's disturbing. I guess that's why I left in the first place."

I guess Mike Sielski was not interested in that story unless it's in a three minute video.

Blumenfeld in with Smg, who you can bet want to keep management rights with Al D'Amato.

New York Sports and Entertainment LLC is partnered with Global Spectrum,a subsidiary of Comcast or Flyers owner Ed Snider, who's Smg company that manages the Coliseum with Isles under 2009 sublease.

Does Flyers owner Ed Snider have two bets down on this bid? He got a new AHL home under construction with taxpayer money.

At this time former Msg President, Bob Gutkowski does not seem to be a part of this, but here is his latest resume here.

Anyone notice no one is talking baseball stadium yet on the rest of Don Monti's HUB.

Nothing Could Be More Personal For Dolan Family:
When current Msg President Hank Ratner says It's Personal you better believe it.

“Said simply, our group is uniquely qualified to create a world-class destination for Long Island,” said Madison Square Garden Company President and CEO Hank Ratner. “For us, it’s not just business. It’s personal.”

The Nassau Coliseum, and the New York Islanders were Islander fan, Charles Dolan's, first choice of hockey's franchises to own. The New York Islanders were Cablevision's signature television property when they were trying to get started long ago.

Charles Dolan signed an agreement with John Pickett to purchase the New York Islanders.

Charles Dolan kicked Msg off Cablevision in those days.

For Ranger fan, James Dolan, it's revenge for the continuing unexpected television contract payments in Brooklyn, a chance to wipe New York Islander history off the Long Island map forever, expanding his own Msg branding officially into Nassau County, and perhaps force a failed New York Islander brand in Brooklyn out of business at some future point, again saving on huge future cable contract payments.

Kind of circumvents Wang's idea of keeping practices on Long Island, and commuting besides Iceworks.

The Rangers will be having open practices at a James Dolan operated Coliseum as the official home team, no doubt future home exhibition games.

No Mr Wang, the Islanders will not be permitted to continue on Long Island in any capacity as the home team.

Nassau Coliseum:
One thing that can be written is the Coliseum with enough extra's thrown in is considered self-sustaining to the many people that bid for it.

Considering all the modern arena's bleeding red ink, and this is not the entire HUB that Don Monti is Master Developer of is surprising.

Ed Mangano:
Frankly put, Ed Mangano won huge, and is correct about one of his problems now being solved.

Someone will pay hundreds of millions for the privilege of giving Nassau County money.

He could care less about the Islanders, and will quickly name the RFP winner giving Nassau hundreds of millions as part of his re-election campaign promise kept.

The taxpayers (on paper) will not pay one dime, Mangano can start honoring the AHL Long Island Rangers as Nassau County's official home team in the new Msg Live Zone as soon as he approves Dolan's Msg/Nassau East which likely will happen no matter what Ratner, Blumenfeld offers.

Cablevision, Newsday, News12LI, Msg media can break anyone on Long Island, and have the money to do it, this is their home area, not Bruce Ratner, or any other bidder.

Anyone really think Ed Mangano wants the Dolan's who defeated Mike Bloomberg, and have fought virtually every sports team/channel as an emeny in an election year on Long Island?

This is not the Lighthouse or Town of Hempstead with Kate Murray approval required or everyone other team who got paid by taxpayers for keeping their team where it is. It's also not the entire HUB.

In other words, construction will happen as soon as the New York Islanders are out, with Charles Wang's approval.

The entire HUB is Donald Monti's problem, who has to deal with Town Of Hempstead/Murray zone.

Could Mangano's selecton committee actually turn down Msg? Never underestimate Nassau County incompetence, but in this case that's an incredible long-shot.

Charles Wang:
He controls the Marriott, the abatement permanently, and until 2015 has right of first refusal "It's a situation where he really controls the site until 2015," when the team's lease at the arena expires, Burman said.

Long Island Busniess News August 2012

Wang’s newest lease for the Coliseum signed last year gives him a say in what eventually gets built around the rest of the property. The Hub’s master developer will have to build a tiered parking to make up for any of the 6,500 parking spots lost, and Wang can reject any plan he deems would “adversely affect the use and operation” of his Long Island Marriott hotel and the Coliseum.

In short until 2015, Wang can reject any plan approved (including Ratner's) but if he wants out of his Islanders lease earlier it may be something he has to trade.

Wang rejects Dolan's plan if given RFP good luck finding any New York Islander telecast or pregame until 2031. Say goodbye to any Newsday coverage of the team anywhere.

It seems for now Ratner has more say over the New York Islanders than Charles Wang, who's hotel is likely as easily available for purchase as the Sound Tigers could be very soon.

New York/New York Islander Fan Central Notables

2013-04-26T14:35:00.003-04:00

Aside from Griffin Reinhart's foot surgery that is expected to keep him out six weeks or Mitchell Theoret, perhaps a prospect/player signing, expect a very quiet time at New York Islander Fan Central unless there is something to write about regarding 2013-14 which is the focus here.

The lockout ends here with the conclusion of the forty eight game season/playoffs. I have made clear to my readers several times this website may not be for them at this time.

The prospect site on blogger is set with contract status for Bridgeport/Islander prospects.

IIHF 2013 World Championships begin May 3rd for perhaps a player/prospect or two.

It's also time to get quiet about the twitter/coverage comments on poor television/newspaper coverage, which frankly I failed to keep my promise about on 1/2/13 when the season was cancelled here.

As for the Nassau Coliseum development if you care about Dolan bidding for the building, and bringing in their AHL team to cut the Isles youth season ticket base to nothing, I've done my part, and continue to fill in credible information as it becomes available.

Now it's your choice to speak up, not before Ed Mangano quietly hands the RFP to them.

Nothing else I can really write after most of what was expected happened, if you care about the coverage disparities. I have also done my part to try.

You have a few life-times of entries here to guide you, and a mailing list back to 2000 with daily articles.

Now it's your turn.

If Charles Wang, Michael Picker, Howard Saffan & Garth Snow have something to tell the public about the club's business or a players future, they have a website/Neulion to break all their own news directly.

Folks know where I stand in terms of Charles Wang's ownership after thirteen years. No matter what he does moving forward nothing is going to change my total support for him, which includes moving the team out of New York, and breaking his iron-clad/binding lease in Brooklyn.

I have done enough entries explaining why.
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Just to be clear because I'm receiving many e-mails wanting to send money to advertise here. New York Islander Fan Central is a non-profit, no advertising, no link exchange website.

No interest in writing anywhere else or page-views.
No interest in anything but professional journalism with quotes. (no sourced based information)
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As always no announcements regarding the future of New York Islander Fan Central will be made with each entry perhaps being the last. I respect my followers, and do not wish to waste anyone's time so that's as honest as I can be regarding this.

Whatever happens as always will have nothing to do with the team, it's record or where it plays hockey games, never has or will.

I simply never know if I wish to stop completely.

In April 2009 everything that can be written on this subject was.

The promise made was this website, hosted by blogger will be viewable until October 2013 until the domain needs to be renewed.

If it's renewed at that time an announcement will be made that the this website will be viewable until October 2014.

In terms of 2013-14, if there is any writing here at all, the focus is mostly going to be hockey centric after the draft/free agency.

How someone plays, what they are quoted as saying, hopefully into a camera so we can make up our own minds.

Thank You Very Much............

Bridgeport Final Notables....More Friction With Msg?

2013-04-23T23:32:00.001-04:00

Ct Post: Michael Fornabio has the season wrap with some player, coach comments, and the list of the 2013-14 contract updates.

NYIFC Comments:
As a rule, I stay ahead of this on the prospect blog for this website in terms of the contracts. I believe Ty Wishart is again an RFA at age 25 come June 2013. Mr Fornabio writes he is UFA.

Hartford Courant: Reports the Ct Whale will re brand itself back to the Hartford Wolfpack and that the Sound Tigers objected to a Connecticut Wolf Pack rebranding.

NYIFC Comnents:
Things are seemingly not very good between Dolan's organization vs Charles Wang's.

Obviously it was insulting for Msg to re-brand it's AHL team to a state that included where the Sound Tigers play to begin with.

This would explain the Sound Tigers registering two domains on January 2nd blocking a move to Ct Rangers until 2018.

Look out in two years when the Wolfpack lease expires, and Dolan has Coliseum development rights via Mangano's RFP.

New York:
As I wrote on January 2nd, the NHL was cancelled in terms of this website, and that's the way it will remain.

Having written this I respect the overwhelming majority who feel otherwise, hope they have a great time moving forward, and that they respect my position on this which is the minority today. (not so much on 1/2/13)

Everyone should respect each others choices. I do not consider a 48 game season, a complete NHL schedule, and saw one in 1995.

Yes, I'm flat out thrilled the New York Islanders season tickets to the NHL lottery have been revoked next week. I'll write that much going into the 2013 draft.

Bridgeport's 2012-13 Season Concludes...Moving Forward

2013-04-22T07:51:00.000-04:00

The Sound Tigers richly deserved elimination came on Friday night at their own hands.

Not much that can be written that was not in the entry on Scott Pellerin being replaced, even though he is under contract for 2013-14. I would guess unless he has another job in mind, and the Islanders are willing to let him go he will be back.

Perhaps it was the grind of Nino Niederreiter's first healthy full season, combined with injuries to his line-mates?

Nino Niederreiter played his mostly injured NHL season in 2011-12, almost a full year younger than John Tavares did.

Forgetting the statistics, Nino Niederreiter was not as involved in the play as he was before his agent spoke in January. Still on paper overall he had an excellent first full season.

For Brock Nelson, Matt Donovan this season was a major step forward. John Persson, Johan Sundstrom had an excellent showing. David Ullstrom faces some tough competition moving forward, along with Aaron Ness, who had a much better year than his plus/minus shows.

Kirill Kabanov, who scored in the season finale, will get a pass based on his injury, but he received criticism from Pellerin. Jason Clark was not a success story, nor was Mike Halmo.

Only management in New York knows where Ryan Strome fits in 2013-14.

The Ct Post will release a list of who's restricted/free agent in a day or two.

Defense:
We sure have come a long way quickly since Mike Mottau, Steve Staios, Mark Eaton, Milan Jurcina.

Depth is a funny thing, you can go from none to plenty very quickly.

Bridgeport is basically set for 2013-14 in this department with the signings of Pedan, Mayfield, Dalhuisen, with Ness, Reinhart (Juniors or NHL 13-14) Donovan, Cantin or Calvin deHaan.

Ty Wishart seems on the outside in terms of a paper roster with Jon Landry.

Anyone on the outside of this mix likely will not be retained, it costs nothing to qualify Mark Katic in Europe.

To play many of these defenders in a third pairing would not be the best use of their talent which is another problem-see Anton Klementyev.

The math is not good for Brenden Kichton, who's a big risk if management decides to let that offense re-enter the NHL draft. There are more defenders in college, and CHL who must be signed by summer 2014.

If Kichton is signed by another club, providing NHL-level offense, management will face well earned criticism, this is not losing Jared Spurgeon, who is a descent NHL player.

There is another draft class coming in June, given all the signed defenders in the organization now, plus all the ones due to be signed next summer, there is not enough room.

Yes folks on paper Brenden Kichton is a better prospect than Pedan or Mayfield, or even Aaron Ness when he signed out of Minnesota, or Donovan out of Denver, he's a mile better than Mike Dalhuisen.

The story of Justin Mapletoft was discussed here already, that's where Kichton is now.

The day will come where Travis Hamonic will get his offer of close to thirty million from hometown Winnipeg if his offense develops, or fifteen million if it does not. Why is he turning that down? His 2013 RFA summer coming up will tell us part of what's coming.

The days of Andrew MacDonald making 500k are coming to an end, someone's giving him three million plus a year if even if he shows no offensive progression, and much more if he does.

Brian Strait is a happy man with a three year contract, Thomas Hickey (RFA) will likely want even more. Joe Finley is signed for 2013-14.

Good news is if history has taught us anything it's there is no such things as not enough depth, especially in an organization with a long history of leading the league in man games lost.

Goaltending:
With Miko Koskinen signing in Europe for the next two years, if New York wants to develop a goaltender it has to be Anders Nilsson.

Kevin Poulin (RFA) did not have a good year, but no goaltender did in front of the second highest goals allowed team in the AHL.

Rick DiPietro's progression, cannot come at the price of developing a goaltender unless DiPietro can make the adjustment to being a backup which is asking too much for a goalie who desperately needs to work off rust.

A lot will be decided on if Nabokov returns with Tim Thomas an option.

DiPietro's finally showed his first real sign he is healthy playing eighteen games, there is no working off rust as an NHL/AHL backup or splitting time with another goalie in a league where teams largely play during weekends.

Of course the Islanders can simply keep DiPietro as the full time Bridgeport starter, and not care about developing a goaltender. Many organizations go the same route once they had their NHL starter.

Martin Brodeur, Johan Hedberg took the Devils to the Stanley Cup finals a year ago. Dwayne Roloson the conference finals before that. Anyone believe the Flyers, with Bryzgalov, Mason or Pittsburgh with Vokoun, or Rangers with former Islander Biron, are playing a huge premium on developing a backup goaltender in their AHL system?

How would you like to be an AHL goalie in Vancouver's system right now?

New York Signs Joey Diamond to ELC 2013-14. Bridgeport Signs Riley Wetmore & Greg Miller For 2013-14

2013-04-19T18:17:00.000-04:00

Sound Tigers website: The New York Islanders announced today that forward Joey Diamond has agreed to terms on a one-year, entry-level contract. Diamond, 23, scored two goals with three assists, while recording 27 penalty minutes in 10 games since joining the Sound Tigers on an amateur tryout contract (ATO) on March 22.

The previous entry here linked to articles from professional media on the signing of D Mike Dalhuisen, that claimed he would play in Bridgeport in 2013-14.

On Friday Bridgeport announced the Dalhuisen signing here. Riley Wetmore & Greg Miller also agreed to terms on AHL contracts for 2013-14.

Quinnipiac Bobcats.com has Dalhuisen's comments:

"It's an amazing feeling to get closer and closer to your lifelong dream," Dalhuisen said. "All of the hard work of the past 21 years of hockey is finally paying off."

"We're very happy for Mike in continuing his career in the Islanders organization," head coach Rand Pecknold said. "We're proud of his accomplishments and wish him all the best as he progresses to the NHL."

Miller commented via twitter.

Prospect blog has all updated contract signings for Bridgeport/Prospects.

NYIFC Comments:
A lot of very early moves.

As per our recent entries, the numbers of players signed to play defense in New York & Bridgeport, along with the prospects who needed to be signed by 5/31/13 (Kichton/Theoret) plus the CHL defenders who need to be signed by 5/31/14 from the draft of 2012.

Some players will not be signed or brought back from the current group, there are simply not enough roster spots with a lot of players spectators for the Sound Tigers in many games as is. Almost to the point where it's reasonable to suggest are the Islanders going to reach terms on a new ECHL affiliate somewhere?

It's Official: Dolan/Cablevsion/Msg/Newsday Want Nassau Coliseum

2013-04-16T23:32:00.002-04:00

I sure did try over the years, writing this day was coming often. On 11/20/12 this website wrote, Nassau To Pick Coliseum Developer, Who Cares? here.

Now there is reason to care.

James Dolan's Cablevision, Msg, Newsday have bid for the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, the company that did the song and dance they wanted the Isles to stay, now want their home arena in the future.

Make no mistake it would take a miracle for them not to win that bid.

Another entertainment venue to go with Hartford (tenant), Los Angeles Forum, Radio City, Beacon Theater, even Newsday to control the message. That's what Dolan does.

Updated 5/3/13: NY Post

“We’ve put together a quality team ... plus this is what we do! We operate seven venues, and we’ve restored and revitalized each and every one, “said MSG President Hank Ratner.....

When the NHL's oldest facility, the Cablevision Garden (getting a 16.5m dollar check from the taxpayers each year) is done being renovated, they will turn their full attention to the Nassau Coliseum.

The Bids Are In:
This bid for the Coliseum will feature Charles Wang's friend (future part landlord), Bruce Ratner vs Dolan vs Blumenfeld vs Master Developer of the HUB, Donald Monti.

Hofstra President Stuart Rabinowicz will likely support the Blumenfeld bid. (unless Hofstra expansion projects with biotech are part of the HUB or if Master Developer Monti has promised him that.)

Dolan will likely have another corporate naming sponsor like JPM Chase who are giving Msg 300m for internal naming rights, along with Cablevision money, and perhaps their own naming rights on the facility.

They will win the bid handily because most of these other people are looking for some public financing (or a referendum-like deal) which Nassau will not do, they just renovated a similar facility in age.

They only need to transfer the companies that renovated Msg to Long Island.

Plus they have a professional AHL hockey team all ready to cut into most of Charles Wang's current family/kid season ticket NHL base, the Ct/Cablevision Whale with an expiring lease in two years.

Ed Mangano:
Mangano will pick what can save his bid for re-election. Cablevision can give him the political contributions/positive press to help that. Tom Suozzi is a former Newsday employee after he lost to Mangano so that end is covered completely.

Long Island Press in 2010 reported Cablevsion has given 200,000 to Suozzi's political bids.

Cablevision, its political action committee and owners, the Dolan family, had been one of Suozzi’s biggest campaign contributors throughout his career—donating nearly $200,000 to Suozzi’s political aspirations since 2006, according to NYS Board of Elections financial disclosure records.

Counting on Mangano to be voted of office out for losing the Islanders? Not a prayer. Like referendum day, that's a smaller minority completely indifferent to virtually the only municipality in New York/New Jersey (around the country/Canada) who did nothing to keep their professional sports team via taxpayers.

Of course when County Website rips Dolan owned Newsday in 2012 it's fair to write they do not have the best of relationships.

“It’s become obvious that Newsday columnist Joye Brown has some personal grudge or vendetta against Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano. We all get that! However, it’s a shame that Newsday is allowing an editorial opinion on the news page without labeling it as such. The fact that Newsday, once one of the top five daily newspapers in the nation, condones this poor practice is disturbing as it lacks transparency by blurring the line between news and opinion.

For me, my family, friends and associates, it appears Newsday is joining the ranks of the Star and the Enquirer. To place a column with Brown’s personal feelings on page 3, next to actual news stories – as a way of tricking the average reader into thinking they are facts – is yellow journalism at its worst. Ethical journalism calls for viewpoints in a separate section from the news because the two are supposed to be separate and apart. Accordingly, I am calling on the publisher of Newsday to end this practice immediately!”

Kate Murray:
For Kate Murray, the Rangers are exciting, it's obvious what she wants, she will get her sixty percent on election day as long as she does what the Joe Mondello machine tells her to do.

Charles Wang:
Wang will have veto power over the HUB site until 2015 per the LI Business News, but who knows if that could be negotiated as part of breaking his current lease early? Ratner vs Dolan will make for some very interesting games, and with the Islanders future television/newspaper coverage given the contention with the Nets ownership to say nothing of fights for events with Barclay's currently going on 4/17/13.

Dolan's long problems with virtually every NY/NJ team is well documented.

Wang has a binding lease until 2021 in Bridgeport, and Howard Saffan said the team is not going to move anywhere regardless of the Isles. He operates Webster Bank Arena which he just spent money renovating.

Charles Wang is not paying to repair the Nassau Coliseum anymore, unless Bruce Ratner has an ECHL hockey team included as part of his bid there will not be a New York Islander affiliate to put on the property.

Again, I have written this often, as long as Wang owns the Marriott, he needs revenue from people staying there who will go to the Coliseum, not an empty lot. He may even want Dolan to put his AHL team in the Coliseum so his hotel receives the related hockey business from fans/visiting teams he will lose in Brooklyn?

Wang picked Brooklyn to make Dolan keep paying him cable contract money, and for his legacy of not being the man to lose the Islanders. It's a far from perfect plan for Wang to generate revenue, and those claiming luxury boxes are the revenue miracle learned nothing from the Smg lease that John Pickett did to go with teams in modern buildings losing money all over this league with full facility control, luxury boxes, and thousands of more seats than Barclay's at this time.

Per the LIBN, David Winzelberg, in August 2012 Wang can veto any plan for the HUB/Coliseum here.

Wang’s newest lease for the Coliseum signed last year gives him a say in what eventually gets built around the rest of the property. The Hub’s master developer will have to build a tiered parking to make up for any of the 6,500 parking spots lost, and Wang can reject any plan he deems would “adversely affect the use and operation” of his Long Island Marriott hotel and the Coliseum.

Legally speaking does Mangano's RPF for the Coliseum circumvent the above? Perhaps.

Behind The Scenes:
No, James Dolan is not happy. That 300m+ until 2030 in cable contract money was to pay for a Cablevision Coliseum bid when the Isles left New York entirely.

That plan (for now or until we see something on that iron-clad Barclay's lease) did not work out for Dolan.

Perhaps enough current Islander fans (mostly comprised of families/kids) at future LI Ranger AHL games combined with a very poor Brooklyn turnout will force Wang/NHL to cease operations. There will be virtually no media with the real chance Newsday goes AP with the Islanders in Brooklyn.

For a company that pulled Islander pregames with Dolan fighting with a former Msg President over hockey production costs, imagine how much 300m+ means to Cablevision/Msg, plus full territorial rights to say nothing of no longer having to produce game coverage?

Trust me, if the games were of value, every time there was a +2 game, Dolan would find a way to put it in a place people could find it in HD, and would promote the games like he does his own teams. The man went on WFAN, and laughed when grilled on the Isles 2002 playoffs being put on Metroguide.

Referendum Shell Game Complete:
Folks, I tried. How many countless times did I question the coverage, with the end game long before a 2011 referendum or since?

Now we know (or knew) why all those negative articles appeared in Msg's newspaper to defeat the referendum long before Dolan's Newspaper's very late tepid, token endorsement only when it was clear it would not pass (polls) that only said the process should continue for now when you got to the fine print.

The two second appearance of James Dolan endorsing anything would make people vote against it, who but hockey fans would visit ITV to view even know of it's existence?

Dolan-owned Newsday took a quiet vote in August, and their newspaper made it a circus to drum up support to defeat it with continual front-page headlines, and negative editorials. Now they want the Coliseum, and have placed a bid for it?

This was not Mike Bloomberg quickly giving every team the store via taxpayer behind closed door for new baseball stadium's.

George Marlin will not be doing negative editorials in Dolan's Newspaper to tell the public Msg should not develop the Nassau Coliseum.

Randi Marshall will not be twittering about Dolan's political contributions as she did regarding Charles Wang.

Coverage Game:
Per the LI Press/Countless Articles we know how Dolan plays the media game with outlets he owns direct from the employees.

Please don't write, and claim it's my conspiracy. The people working for him have said this many times April 2012 along with 2010. I could produce a hundred links of Dolan regulating media from other outlets. It's what the professional media has reported independent of Msg almost non-stop, along with the employees themselves.

The Nassau Coliseum sure has received a lot of questionable or trivial front pages under Dolan's ownership.

Dolan's paper linking the Isles to Smg for the first time ever or using the front page over a disputed rent bill of only a few million? Nassau County had past disputes with Smg over money owed that was on the county website in 2006.

So much for " Smg set us free", when the Tribune Company owned Newsday in the late 1990's when they were the Islanders flat out enemy with lawsuits. If you read Dolan's paper, it comes off as if the Islanders are treated like they co-created the Coliseum internal problems themselves lately, when all Wang did was spend money as a tenant to renovate his landlords building long before Wang/Rechler got the so-called 2009 " gift " of a sublease where Smg receives 17m until 2015 unless Wang opted out which means Smg still get's every dollar through 2015.

Some gift.

Of course Dolan's paper should report the Islanders were named in the Coliseum asbestos lawsuit, that's fair.

You will not see one word against Dolan's bid for the Coliseum, at best only the competition in the official newspaper of Madison Square Garden will be discussed with their plans.

Dolan's paper will not turn it's owners bid into a circus like the Lighthouse or the referendum, those writers would lose their jobs. The silence will be deafening until they are selected as RFP winner (whatever you call it) which is separate from the HUB.

Who knows what Robert Brodsky, Randi Marshall will be told to write to keep their job? News12 LI is Dolan-owned which moderated the big vote debate in 2012.

The LI Business News has a Dolan owned name attached to it.

The NYC media will not care, they sell Msg, and their teams, plus need the ad money. Dolan's recent quote that he pays you're salary does not extend only to Msg security. Sports editors know he pays their salary too with the beat writer faster than you can say, Alan Hahn, New York Observer 2007 vs 2013.

At least the Observer in 2013 finally pointed out all those privately funded baseball stadiums were built by the taxpayers vs the NYC editorials demanding Wang pay for it himself in 2011.

The Dolans 16.5m from taxpayers every year did not make it into the Observer.

Kind of like the countless articles you see about the sports coverage with the spin positive for Msg, not the other teams. (Newsday's Foil request on Mets)

Bridgeport vs Long Island vs Cablevision Whale in Hartford:
Dolan wants another entertainment venue, the Sound Tigers are locked into Webster Bank Arena until 2021, and in two years Dolan is free to move his AHL team directly into a new/renovated Nassau Coliseum so there is your professional team per Mangano's guidelines.

The Sound Tigers registering two domains was strange but a sign of what's been going on quietly behind the scenes, that could have been for this coming year.

The AHL Long Island Rangers will cut into the remaining Islander fans, the kids/familes that currently make up a large part of the crowd at the Islander games, there are no territorial rights for the American Hockey League. The Rangers NHL team will waste no time going back to the Coliseum for some preseason games, to market an AHL franchise as the official home team.

Unlike in Hartford where Msg decided to immediately go after another teams fan base with an AHL affiliate, and met resistance, that will not happen on Cablevision-owned Long Island, where Newsday even before Dolan purchased the paper worked tirelessly to sell the Msg brand with generations of Ranger fans working for the paper.

Legal?
As I have written here often Dolan, Cablevision, Msg, Newsday have every legal right to do this.

Bridgeport:
Not much to write about Bridgeport, they lost a two goal lead with three minutes left to lose in overtime, in another game that defined their season. They have richly earned the playoff elimination that should come no later than Saturday.

According to Quadnews.net via New Haven Register reporter Chip Malafronte, defenseman Mike Dalhuisen has signed a contract with the New York Islanders and is set to play for their AHL affiliate, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, beginning 2013-14. The terms of the contract are undisclosed.

New York:
When the 48 game season concludes, entries about the 2013-14 season will begin. Sorry for the timing but this is Mangano's plan, not mine. As I told folks back on 1/2/13 the season was cancelled here, Stanley Cup or 30th, and that this website may not be for you during this time.