Kansas City Islanders?
 

Let the rumors begin:

http://www.tsn.ca/columnists/darren_...headlines_main

DREGER: ISLANDERS GOING TO KANSAS CITY FOR A GAME

The New York Islanders are going to Kansas City.

The Islanders have agreed in principle with the Los Angeles Kings to play an exhibition game in Kansas City in September.

This may not seem like that big of a deal in light of the fact other NHL teams have used Kansas City in recent years as a neutral cite for preseason games.

However, according to league sources this game could be perceived as a veiled threat of potential relocation if plans for a new arena on Long Island aren't soon finalized.

Since purchasing the team in 2000, Charles Wang (a Long Island resident who has built most of his businesses there) has refused to threaten to move the franchise if he didn't get an arena deal. However, it's believed Wang is growing frustrated by the fact there has been little progress by local politicians on the Lighthouse Project and Wang's plan to transform Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum and surrounding 100-plus acres.

The New York Islanders are nowhere close to moving. But, according to some this mere exhibition game in Kansas City will be considered a major wakeup call to Long Islanders (and their community leaders) who allegedly think the team will stay without a new arena deal.

The Sprint Center in Kansas City is operated by AEG, whose CEO Tim Leiweke is a governor of the Los Angeles Kings.

In 2007, Leiweke made a strong play for the Pittsburgh Penguins, offering Pens ownership free rent at the Sprint Center if the team, mired at the time in a similar arena debate, moved to Kansas City.

Scare tactics worked in this case because in March of 2007 the Penguins and government officials agreed on a $290 million arena deal to keep the Penguins in Pittsburgh.

Shortly after the decision to stay in Pittsburgh was made Leiweke expressed his desire to the Kansas City Star to bring an NHL franchise to the city:

"I hoped things would move more quickly. But no teams have moved since we started on the building. It's very competitive out there. Municipalities don't want to lose their teams."

The New York Islanders don't want to leave Long Island, however as this negotiation with local politicians drags on the potential for speculation to become reality will grow as well.

Wouldn't the Kansas City Penguins have to move out first?

Next week's headline: "Islanders to get new arena on Long Island"

WANG.

Ok Gang....

I only support this move if they retain their name.

GO WHATEVERS!

KC being used for leverage once again.

Well, if we don't get a team we can at least continue to be used and abused like a two dollar whore.

KC Islanders is almost as dumb as LA Lakers.

This town won't support a NHL team. They practically have to give away tickets the last time NHL came to the Sprint Center and there were maybe 8 thousand people there.


While on the subject of hockey I'm really pissed they decided to tear down Crackerneck Golf course in Independence only to replace it with a ****in Hockey rink arena for a semi pro team.........in Independence, MO............yup..........just what the community wants/needs. Whoever made that great decision needs to place his nuts under the guillotine.

Yeah, because the community really needs a place for a bunch of old white dudes to hang out and make excuses for why they suck more than a hockey arena.

Hope we could change the team name/logo.

I guess only old white dudes play golf? :rolleyes:

Heres what i do know........about 99.999999999999% of the people in KC that don't go to private schools don't ****ing play ice hockey.

Um....that Golf Course hasnt existed for years.

It basically got torn down for Costco, McDonalds and a few other franchise eateries.

A) I disagree about the NHL in Kansas City. But that's an opinion thing, so i won't spend much time on it.

B) Crackerneck being torn down for an arena?
You obviously don't have any clue what you are talking about. There happens to be an arena going in, but there's is a hell of a lot more...and has been for years.

Everybody's wrong ......I'm right..............I win........you guys lose.