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Nets Now Unabashed About Isles Joining Them at Barclays Center

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UNIONDALE, NY - MARCH 31: The New York Islanders skate against the New York Rangers at the Nassau Coliseum on March 31, 2011 in Uniondale, New York. The Islanders defeated the Rangers 6-2. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
UNIONDALE, NY - MARCH 31: The New York Islanders skate against the New York Rangers at the Nassau Coliseum on March 31, 2011 in Uniondale, New York. The Islanders defeated the Rangers 6-2. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
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In the past, Bruce Ratner has been circumspect about whether he and the rest of ownership want the Islanders to join the Nets at Barclays Center. He had spokes about the importance of assuring the Isles stay in New York. His meetings with Islander owner Charles Wang and NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman weren't publicized. Not anymore.

In his interview with Dennis Hamil earlier this week, Ratner signaled a greater aggressiveness and greater confidence about adding the 44 dates the Brooklyn Islanders would fill in the arena schedule (and not coincidentally, bringing the number of event dates at Barclays to more than 220, what they promised bondholders back in 2010.

"And I am trying like hell to get the Islanders to make Barclays Center their new hockey home," Ratner told Hamil, reminding people that, "They will play a preseason game here against the Devils." The Islanders' lease at Nassau Coliseum runs through 2015, which could give Barclays time to remodel the arena layout for NHL sightlines.

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