Islanders News: Remembering Charles B. Wang

Support and condolences have flooded in from all over the place.

By Steven E. Smith Oct 22, 2018, 7:30am EDT

The weekend is, sadly, over. And Islanders hockey doesn’t return for two more days! How are we expected to exist as a society like this?!

Anyway, good morning, everyone. Hope you’re all doing well.

The longtime owner of the Islanders passed away Sunday after a battle with lung cancer. His death reaches many different levels of the Islanders organization and Long Island in general, as well as other parts of the world. While he wasn’t always the best owner, often tying shut the purse strings that might have made this team more competitive and making some questionable personnel decisions, he undoubtedly saved this team from moving to Kansas City, or Quebec City, or elsewhere, as well as from extinction. [LHH]
In fact, while it was he that negotiated the deal with Barclays Center and moved them to Brooklyn, it was also he that kickstarted the Belmont Park project. He was approached by someone from the NYRA only two months after play began at Barclays, and was immediately intrigued. [Newsday]
He also bought the Bridgeport Sound Tigers when their future was in doubt and fought to make sure they stayed there. [CT Post]
Having accrued great wealth through the growth of his company, Computer Associates, he donated much of it toward helping children across the world afford surgeries they otherwise could not, and supported higher education both on Long Island and in China. [Newsday]
And, above all else, he was a dreamer. He believed in making things better, and never stopped thinking about how he could do that. [Newsday]

Recaps from the Sharks game on Saturday night, if you really want to relive the pain: [LHH | Islanders | Newsday | AP | NYI Skinny]
On Saturday, the Sound Tigers lost big to the Providence Bruins, and gave up a goal to none other than Jan Kovar, in Providence on a PTO. [CT Post]
After the poor game Saturday, coach Brent Thompson mixed up the lines ahead of Sunday’s game with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. This included separating 2014 first rounders Michael Dal Colle and Josh Ho-Sang. [Soundin’ Off]
Veteran Steve Bernier came through for Bridgeport, netting two goals in their shootout win over the Phantoms. [CT Post | Soundin’ Off]
The ECHL’s Worcester Railers hosted the Maine Mariners on Saturday night for their own home opener, and pleased the local fans with a 4-1 win. [Railers]

NHL scores from both Saturday and Sunday, if you are so inclined.
The Ducks retired Paul Kariya’s no. 9 Sunday evening. Kariya, the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim’s first-ever draft pick, was one of my favorite players growing up and was a favorite of many, both in Anaheim and throughout the NHL. The moment was “far beyond any dream [he’s] ever had.” [NHL]
Predators coach Peter Laviolette asked his team for at least four points on their trip through western Canada, and that he’d make it worth their while. Well, they accomplished that goal, and he rewarded them by going for a Furry look. [Deadspin]

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