IT’S NOT ABOUT THE REAL ESTATE
Wang joins Snow for a night of junior hockey
If I owned a sports team, and that team had so much riding on the first overall pick in the draft, I would want to check out the top kids, too. Not to scout, mind you – I’d leave that to the people I pay for their expertise – but just to get a little feel for how the 18-year old handles himself on the ice. And let’s be real: if you owned the Islanders, so would you.
Presenting Charles Wang with Garth Snow last night, watching John Tavares and the London Knights take on Ryan Ellis and the Windsor Spitfires. For the record, I think it’s admirable Wang took the time. Some PB readers still say most sports team owners are just in it for the real estate. I don’t know any who take a night away from home and business to fly to London, Ontario to watch a junior league hockey game.
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66 Responses to IT’S NOT ABOUT THE REAL ESTATE
Wang joins Snow for a night of junior hockey
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Notice the Dale Hunter jersey hanging on the wall of the suite. Garth and Charles should have demanded that it be taken down.
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Jim says:
I agree CB. Not to mention he’s going to be investing millions of dollars into whoever they draft. I would think he’d want to see where his money may go.
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HilbertSnipe says:
Dorfer- that is the first thing I saw!
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Jon G says:
Chickendirt, with all due respect, unless you’ve met the man personally and know him, maybe you shouldn’t make grand statements about who and what he is.
As for why we need a “big grand development” to get a new building, it’s been explained over and over but here it is again. It has zero to do with Wang. He does NOT own the coliseum, the county does. The county has indicated that they do not have the money to renovate the arena, so they certainly can’t build a new one. They welcomed bids from developers who wanted to develop that land. They hand picked Wang/Rechler. Part of the deal they made with Wang/Rechler was that since they can’t afford to renovate the coliseum, the winning bidder would be able to develop the land around the coliseum IF they agree to pay for the coliseum renovations as well. So…why should Wang rebuild a building he doesn’t own for zero reason? The analogy I like to use is, is you rent an apartment and it needs to be renovated (new pipes, floors, etc) would you pay for it? Of course not, the landlord would. Well Wang rents the coliseum, the county is the landlord.
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KO21 says:
I think this is a GOOD sign that Wang and Snow are looking at the Isles next number 1 draft pick over all…
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OhNoItsComeau57 says:
Any word if Wang was upset that a junior team has a nicer arena than the Isles? (sarcasm)
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Lee says:
That Dale Hunter jersey killed me
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6 OhNoItsComeau57, OUCH, THAT HURT!!!
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Frank James says:
Wang is a businessman.
He wants to make money.
Of course he wants to maximize profits from the Isles. The Light House is his only shot at that.
To expect any man to keep losing money week after week for years is ridiculous.
Sports teams are not a charity and they are not a right of the people.
They are a business.
So Wang might not be perfect but thank God he did buy the team. At least he actually seems like he wants a winner.
That separates him from a lot of owners.
Of course they all have the desire for profits in common.
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John says:
From a TSN.ca column penned by Glen Suitor about two potential developments in Ottawa… this being the relevant one
There is also a proposal on the table from Senators owner Eugene Melnyk for the area near Scotiabank Place in Kanata, which consists of a state-of-the-art soccer stadium which could become the home of an MLS franchise, several soccer practice fields, retail and entertainment development, as well as 450 residential units and two hotels.
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Big deal. So Tavares went 1 game pointless. Even Crosby and Ovechkin have they’re off days. I think that Garth and Mr. Wang attending this game is to say, Tavares, your our guy. Whether we publicly come out and say it or not. Flying out to watch a game I think is showing Tavares that they truely care about it. They aren’t gonna change they’re mind to Hedman because Tavares went pointless that game. Hedman had an awful World tourney, so that would leave them with who? Duchene? Who has less points overall then Tavares. Like someone stated above me. Mr. Wang is all business. He knows landing Tavares will sell Islander jerseys in Canada, possibly speed up the lighthouse project and maybe even be bait to land top free agents in the near future. Garth is doing well stocking up on the picks and watching his budget. We’re doing everything Detroit did to become a successful organization. I wouldn’t be surprised if this DiBo kid gets a shot on Tavares’ line in 2 years after playing 1 full year up in CT. I have much faith in Garth and Wang right now. We’re in the best spot any team can ask for right now going into the draft. Noone is that dumb to pass it up. Well….except Milbury.
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Don't Mind The Haters says:
RE: Post #1
An owner is a businessman first… OK, I’ll agree with you on that statement… But you also want him to renovate the arena with his own money and keep the ticket prices low.Well how is that possible, unless he gets the other stuff built? Someone in your position should be supporting the Lighthouse – correct???
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Mikey says:
If I owned the Islanders, of course I would watch JT and maybe even make a trip to Sweden to see Victor. I’m a hockey junkie, and I love this team. But you know what I wouldn’t do? I wouldn’t sign Alexei Yashin to a 10 year contract and an unproven goalie to a 15 year deal. I wouldn’t keep (and extend!) a GM (Mad Mike) with an atrocious record. I wouldn’t try to run the team with a wacky committee approach. I wouldn’t fire a GM after 40 days and hire my backup goalie with zero management experience to run the team. I wouldn’t do these things because I actually know and understand hockey.
I actually think Charles loves this franchise; but he has a terrible record when it comes to making hockey decisions. The Isles have a questionable reputation around the league in part because Charles refuses to stop meddling in player personnel. (See Logie’s Sunday story in Newsday for quotes.) I thought Charles had finally stepped off and decided to let Snow/Jankowski/Morrow make the hockey decisions. This scouting trip makes me question all that. The fans need an explanation.
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Chickendirt says:
With all due respect. If removating the colliseum (considering that it is also county owned) isn’t enough to bring the revenue Wang could do what everyother sports team owner in the league does.
Build a new arena on his own dime.
He’s already threatening that the lease on the colliseum is not binding to keep the team their till it’s expiration.
He’s willing to break it to move the team to KC or whereever. There’s nothing stopping him from breaking it and building a new arena where is is gonna get revenue from concerts, parking, advertising and concessions. Kinda like everyone else that runs a sports franchise.
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Alex O says:
To #1
If you look at the deal the Penguins got, it includes the devolpment rights to a casino (the casino company partnered with the Pens to use profits from it to build the arena) in Pittsburgh as well as the area around the arena, and control of all the events at the arena….. In the era of sports teams owning their own arenas and their own sports networks (Yankees, Mets Red Sox) hockey teams have to maximize their earnings however they can. If you look at the coyotes situation, they have a new arena but are loosing tons of $. They now are looking at sweetheart arena control deals to stay in Phoenix and lots of people are saying they will leave either way. And that leaves Phoenix with a hockey arena with no tenant that was built by tax payers, not an arena built on land not being used and financed by the builders. Granted some public $ will be used for infrastructure but this we live in quiet peaceful long island dont build any buildings here is ful BS, across from the coliseum are a couple of pretty big office buildings…… or do you guys never notice those, and Hofstra has some pretty tall buildings also….
If you expect to not have to pay from your taxes to rebuild the coliseum and keep your team, well then you have to expect some millionares to make a bunch of $ on this.
You can be a backer of the Reps on may issues but on this I call shenanigans!
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michael says:
is that dale hunter jersey hanging a bad omen?
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Coach B says:
Wang going to see junior hockey is fine, but when it comes to the draft he should not sit at the draft table. It does not look good especially after the committe thing. Snow has to look in total charge.
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bergie20 says:
i totally agree with you chris. wang does care deeply about the isles and if i were him i would want to get to know tavares and hedman before the draft to make sure they conduct themselves properly. wang does some strange things but he does care.
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NYI FAN says:
My take: Wang is taking a sideline approach (finally)& letting the Isles braintrust make their final recommendations on taking Tavares as their first pick. Wang being Wang, has to see in person this kid. So, what happens? JT is virtually invisible during the game he travels to see. Hum…..I wonder what he might have been thinking as he watched JT. Could VH now be in the forefront? Could Wang be reading Newsday & wondering & asking his staff about Logans’ article putting JT third? Things are getting very, very, very (Larry David) interesting in Islander country!!
JMHO, Lets Go Islanders -
Tom D 37 says:
Dale Hunter is the coach of the London Knights. It’s not a bad omen, he actually said a lot of great things about the Islanders and their fans in a recent interview. He even sounded excited for the Islanders that they would have a chance at drafting Tavares. I think he feels really bad about the Turgeon hit.
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Akeem says:
Doesn’t look like Garth and Charles had that great a view…
CB,
After watching the Youtube video you linked to, I started looking at a few others – DALE HUNTER is JT’s coach in London??? Has this been spoken about and I just missed it? -
BR says:
Thanks John (10), you beat me to it! The idea that no other NHL team wants/needs this kind of development is simply not accurate. Not only are the Senators lobbying for it, but the Oilers’ proposed new arena would also be the anchor for a large development of commercial/residential/retail. The Flyers announced their own entertainment/retail development last year. And, of course, the Westgate City Center (Coyotes) is the model these days.
Speaking of the Melnyk proposal, he is facing stiff competition from a proposal to rebuild Ottawa’s existing stadium. That proposal includes…you guessed it, retail and residential development.
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JayK says:
Chickendirt, the arena you favor — an arena in a parking lot — is dead all over the country. Nobody builds them anymore; many of the ones from the past have been torn down (Cap Centre, Richfield Coliseum) or their tenants have gone elsewhere, to a downtown or mixed-use development (Lakers and Kings from the forum in Inglewood to the Staples Center downtown).
When you say he should build it himself, I am assuming you mean the way Bill Davidson built the Palace at Auburn Hills, which is pretty much the only “arena/parking lot” development out there that really still works. But Davidson didn’t pay cash; he financed it. But the difference is that he also was able to own the land, which Wang is not going to be able to do. He will have a landlord: the county. And the county will own the building. But it is going to be the financing of the Lighthouse group that makes the building possible. So given the county’s position as landlord, Wang/Rechler can’t “own” the building, and the other development is necessary.
I’m also just puzzled by you and the others that keep asking that question: why can’t they just do the arena?
When you’re told 59 times that it isn’t going to happen, why do you keep asking? Why can’t you just accept this?
Remember: sign up at beatkate09@yahoo.com. We’re getting ready for Election Day! The armies of voters are forming! Let’s hear from you!
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Dale Hunter and his brothers own the team.
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Cruicky says:
I wonder if he had an of the Rink French Fries. It is a Canadian Tradition.
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BR — #22 — the Panthers owners also are looking to do development around the arena in Sunrise, Fla. It was an arena/parking lot model, and it’s a disaster.
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lefty says:
JonG, Wang is a businessman. What is so hard to understand?
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It is amazing that anyone thinks that they are going to judge JT by one game.
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BillyIsle says:
Chickendirt, with all due respect your arguments have been answered numerous times on this blog and others. As far as Wang building an arena on his own, i would love to know where you plan on doing this? How many large plots of land with existing transportation, surrounded by high density population(dont discount the universities nearby since they would provide a huge amount of nightlife for Wang’s movies, restaurants, clubs), can you think of on Long Island? If your successful in finding that place then the next questions would be, the plot of land is vacant for a reason, maybe a rare breed of birds live there (would never pass environmental study)? If you pass this test, think about how expensive it would still be to buy all of the land and develop it. Chances are you are really far out east by now which brings us to the next challenge: why would people go to it especially when msg is just as close? Its nassau, queens(maybe), and then theyre gone…
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Chickendirt:
You say Wang should do what every other owner does, which is to build a brand new arena on their own dime. Ummm…I’d venture to guess that almost no ownder builds new arenas on their own dime, almost all are partially financed from municipal funds. Look no further than Citi Field and New Yankee Stadium. On top of that, he builds a new arena and….what? He has a lease on the current one for six more years, he can’t go anywhere. He’s supposed to just keep losing money hand over fist for another six years with zero alterenate revenue streams? AFTER the county already struck a deal with him and AGREED to his development in exchange for him renovating the coliseum? No owner on the planet in any sport would do what you’re asking.
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JayK (27) – Forgot about that one. Very good point. There are many others!
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Hud says:
I was just thinking how funny it is that while the playoffs are going on the Isles best video is Garth and Charles watching a game.
As and Islander fan for 35 years, there is not a doubt in my mind that JT is the pick. Charles and Garth are going to see the other guys play, so, when they do, let’s all not get bent out of shape.
This draft is too far away, let’s get to it!
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#30, the Cerro wire site in Syosset would have had LIRR, LIE, etc nearby, too bad this wasn’t in the mix for a LH type of development.
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Lorne says:
I am like what the hell is that Hunter Jersey doing in that suite they are sitting. How did they end up in that location last night.
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#21, Hunter more or less hurt Turgeons career as the 92-93 season was unreal for him.
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19 ISLE in NJ 22 says:
I’m glad that Wang took the interest and time to see more of John Tavares … wish he could of seen him at his best in a winning cause … but that isn’t the only things that scouts look for … and with 4 years in the books with Gold Medals and records … there really isn’t much more to be said to underline his season … I wonder if Garth and Co. are going to be bouncing around the CHL playoffs to see other players for later picks?
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Jeff Speight says:
Mikey #13, how many hockey franchises have you actually run? It seems before you critize someone else using 20/20 hindsight you should have a body of work that can be held up for comparison.
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NYI Fan #34 — the problem is that John Vendetto, supervisor of the Town of Oyster Bay, has the same anti-development mindset that Kate Murray has. Two peas in a pod. It was Vendetto who pretty much shot down Wang’s Plainview development. No way would Wang ever attempt another project in Oyster Bay.
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Will from St. James says:
I’m not going to look too much into this. I think it’s more of wang and snow just doing some extra homework, and good thing to. The more work they do before the draft, the better. As for wang being there, I’m glad he cares enough to go and see what is the next big thing for this team.
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geduffer says:
John (11) – The other use for the stadium would be a CFL expansion team. That’s the last place they should do it. Scotiabank Place is in Kanata. There is only one road in or out and it can take 90 minutes to get out there. It’s a mess. I went there with the Islanders Booster Club and trust me, there is no “there” there.
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Jon says:
Wang has done an excellent job as owner of the Isles.
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rb says:
can’t believe that John Tavares already has his own Custom Macfarlane figure on ebay! given the obvious hype surrounding this kid, the best thing that could probably happen to him is that he NOT play in a fish bowl
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JayK, you are right, plus there are a lot more NIMBY’s there than in Uniondale & the surrounding towns.
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art says:
I’m counting on Wang either holding onto the team using some kind of a hybrid device that noone has thought of yet. or selling it to a ny area person who will keep the team on the Island. Charles Wang is first a LONGISLANDER!! He is a huge contributer to Northshore LIJ. He is not going to see Tavares if the end result is KC It is possible that a future buyer would invest in a NCMC rebuild if he had a great team occuping the site with filled seats add a better deal on parking and concessions and its possible.
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Rich says:
Chickendirt, really? Sigh.
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I’m just saying that we’ve talked about this in great detail. Everything has been explained to death. The same question keeps getting asked (“why doesn’t he just renovate the arena”?) and then a bunch of people answer that question with the facts of the matter. The answers are very clear and reasonable. But a week later someone asks “why can’t he just do the arena” and it’s just getting old at this point. If someone doesn’t know the answer to that question after all of this time I have to believe they seriously do not follow what is going on with the lighthouse. Either that or there’s some sort of learning disability thing going on here.
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Those who say you would not invest in fixing up a rental apartment have to qualify that because people do that if the lease is very long and the landlord makes concessions In life we really don’t buy anthing everything is rented starting with beer! Another analogy- You never wash a rented car but you certainly wash a car thats leased for three years!
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Hahahaha…so I read Art’s note, #48, which is saying “I think there might be somebody out there who will redo the Coliseum all by itself” and then I read Rich’s note, two posts later, with the exasperation that those of us who understand the project all have come to feel toward those who don’t get it.
Art, you say at the end of your post “it’s possible.”
Art: no, it isn’t. Get over it.
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Matt says:
is anyone buying this talk about tavares being #3 now?
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I could buy the talk if the reasoning was a little more sound. In newsday it said something like because JT hasn’t been motivated the last few weeks on his team or something. That sounds crazy to change rankings based on a few games. Like CB said, it sells.
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Is it 1978 again? Hope so. Apparently Wayne was not thought of to be much of a skater. Remember Johnny “Lam” Jones, he could run, but, the goal is to catch the ball! JT is the pick, let’s start talking about what they will do after.
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#27–The Panthers are located next to one of the biggest malls in the South-Sawgrass Mills. There is plenty around them, they don’t need to worry about development like we do. There is a ton of stuff to do in the area. It’s not exactly the Uniondale of South Florida.
I love the fact that the owner is not an absentee owner, that he cares. You could do a lot less and give off the impression that you care. To travel there to me shows a lot.
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#48, yeah,people have been talking about it & drafting JT first for the last month ad-nauseum, that is just about it in Islander Country.
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Jethro09 says:
Ranking JT third is crazy, especially when it doesn’t take into account his entire body of work in the OHL, just this season’s playoffs. He’s the best player available. Has been since the beginning of the season. The Isles need to pull the trigger and draft this kid. No Hedman, No Duchene. Its got to be Tavares.
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Hey Hud-love the Mike Kaszycki reference–he of the 42 NHL goals! I guess that OHL experience just didn’t translate. Let’s hope that if we take Tavares he is closer to Gretzky then Mike Kaszycki LOL.
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Kyle Woodlief ranks Duchene ahead of Tavares because Duchene is a “Steve Yzerman-type of performer, with the ability to score, distribute, play sound defensively and come up big when needed”
that’s asinine…does Woodlief even remember that Steve Yzerman himself was NOT “a Steve Yzerman-type of performer” until Scotty Bowman got to Detroit and rode roughshod on Stevie Y to improve all elements of his game to help the Wings become champs? so under Woodlief’s dopey thinking, you would’ve passed on Yzerman because he wasn’t an “Yzerman-type”….yeesh
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JK #50 How about executive boxes in a ‘new’ coliseum Lets say 20 of them at 100 Gs each for all events and those numbers are conservative. Thats 2 million per year times 10 years is 20 million bucks! Thats not dreming thats business! Please respond.
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Eric, me too on Mike Kaszycki, I had the same thought, hope JT is more Wayne than Mike.
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Mike Kaszycki was pretty valuable based on the fact that we traded him to the Caps for Gord Lane…Lane would’ve cross-checked his own mother if she lingered too long around the crease…we could really use a Gord Lane
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JPinVA says:
If this was in any way inspired (even .01%) by my post in the last thread then I believe I was somewhat misconstrued.
I don’t doubt that charles is enthusiastic about making the Islanders better. But the fact that the franchise has been FINANCIALLY stuck in the mud for 20 years is a PROBLEM.
It’s stuck in the mud because THEY LOSE MONEY. They lose money because the only ATTRACTIVE thing availed any ownership is the development of that damn real estate.
Take that out of the equation, and put this team in a building where revenue stream is NEVER an issue and they WILL BE A CONTENDER AGAIN.
that is not a knock on Charles Wang, JUST THE SITUATION!
It’s tough to lose $10M with a $40M payroll and go out and add $12M to it… That’s what they need to be contenders in the next two years… or miracle development.
We are all excited about June, but most likely (realistically) in January we will be having the trade dealine yard sale conversations and in March people will be rooting for the team to drop five in a row to solidify a lottery spot.
We need the LH or a move to Queens… and we need it ASAP!
Sorry for the long post. -
West Coast Fan says:
Before we drafted Bossy, we had Trottier. No offense to anyone on the current roster, we do not yet have Trottier. So no, it’s not 1978 all over again.
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Paul says:
I agree jpin #62 you make a valid point. I just dont agree about the moving the team part.This will all get worked out and no matter where they play wang will have to put a winner on the ice or nobody will show up to watch. At least here he has the lighthouse excuse.
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Bob23 says:
dont agree at all. lets look at arguably the best owenership in sports the Rooney family who owns the pittsburgh steelers. You never see them visiting prospects. Snow knows nothing about hockey. He should not be involved.
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IslesHostage says:
Sure Snow knows about hockey. Big pads mean more talent, right? And putting a sumo wrestler with big pads means even less net to shoot at.
I have NO PROBLEM with Laurel and Hardy scouting our top draft picks.
(so long as the brains warm up in time to take one of the two bona fide picks and not trade down or draft an absolutely idiotic cork-on-the-fork “I know better than everyone” pick like in 2000)
I’m sure Wang loves the game.
I’m also sure that Wang probably sees a guy like Tavares much like a record company sees bands like NSync or Britney Spears. There are many avenues Wang could take to market this kid and build demand for the Lighthouse.
The guy is a businessman first.
I’m very skeptical of where this guy is taking the franchise. Granted I do want this team to stay on Long Island as well.
I just can’t get with the idea that in order to build a new arena we need this big grand development project. Why are we the only team in the NHL that needs this? Looking at all the teams in the league with new buildings I don’t see any of em requiring something of this magnitude.
And the regular fan is going to be priced out the new arena in favor of luxury boxes and comfort for the suits.
The last thing I want to see is the Islanders new arena be like the Fleet Center in Boston where regular folks can’t afford to go to the games.