A Colorado Avalanche fan provides his support…

                     For what it’s worth, this Colorado Avalanche fan is giving his support for the Islanders to stay in Long Island (regardless if it is in Nassau, Suffolk or wherever). The Islanders cannot and should not leave; I believe the NHL should be doing everything in its power to keep the team not only on Long Island, but in New York as well. I am truly sorry that hockey fans like yourselves have had to endure the Canadian vultures circling around your team since the new arena measure failed at the polls (and even before when Quebec Nordiques fans held a rally at one of your games.). The NHL really needs to do a better job to protect the integrity of the game by preserving its storied franchises (NY Islanders); and also for knowing when to let go of failed experiments (Phoenix Coyotes). It seems that TV revenue is more important to Gary Bettman than hockey history.

                    Maybe it’s the fact that it has been so long since the Isles won their amazing 4 Stanley Cups; perhaps the same Canadian hockey fans who are calling for the return of the NHL to places like Hamilton (Tigers) and Quebec (Nordiques) haven’t journeyed down the part of the Hockey Hall of Fame which houses the busts of Denis Potvin, Mike Bossy, Al Arbour, Clark Gillies, Bryan Trottier, Pat LaFontaine, Billy Smith and Bill Torrey. But do they care about the success of a franchise who dominated the late 70’s through the mid 80’s but did little else since ‘92-‘93? After all, many of those same people weren’t even born to see the glory that was Al Arbour’s Islanders.

                   And for all those calling for the Islanders to move to Hamilton and Quebec let me invite them to go to Toronto and walk around the Hockey Hall of Fame awhile… You will find a whole wing on the Islanders (who ironically were created solely to block the WHA from entering the New York market) you will find the story of their 4 Stanley Cups, jerseys and photos of their many legends. All you will find for Hamilton is an old Tigers jersey, with a dusty black and white photograph next to it; and Quebec, although the Quebec Nordiques have had their share of Hall of Fame players…the only thing they could show for their existence is their lone ’76-’77 WHA Avco World Trophy. With the circumstances eerily similar to what the Nordiques went through when they relocated to Colorado. I tell Quebec Nordiques fans that if they want their team back, they need to wait in line for Phoenix or an expansion team; and leave the New York Islanders alone and in New York where they belong. Because as it stands, they still only have the Colisee de Quebec and they are still as divided as ever on whether or not to build a new arena. It would be hypocritical to send the Islanders from one market who doesn’t want to build them a new arena to another market who doesn’t want to build them a new arena. Keep the Islanders in New York!