The New York Islanders Ride the Choo Choo to Barclays!

via by Bruce Bennet via NY Daily News

I know people looooooove the Barclay Center now, what with the MTV Video Music Awards apparently thinking it put Brooklyn on the map and all. But did you also know the tin roof... rusted that Jay-Z built will be giving us the New York Islanders in 2015? Oh you did. Well I didn't, okay? I don't follow hockey.

Anyway, after their 2014-15 season the NY Islanders will hang up their hats in Nassau County and make the move to the County of Kings. In what can only be described as the corniest PR move in recent history, the entire team rode to their first Barclay practice on the LIRR in their jerseys. So Long Islanders, don't fret, you too can get on a train and see the team that abandoned you -- and only have to make three annoying transfers to do so. 

Even though the Barclay Center is a tad bit smaller than the Nassau Coliseum, the team is allegedly excited about the big move. According to the Gowanus Lounge Islanders' owner Charles Wang had this to say about the Barclay Center: “I think there’s one word for it, it’s beautiful. I’m very happy as you can see from the smile.” Actually we can't, but we'll take your word for it. 

Captain John Tavares was a little more tempered in his response telling the Daily News:

It definitely feels really new. It’s going to take some time once we really do get here to make it feel comfortable and feel right at home, but it’s a beautiful place and in a couple of years it’ll be a nice move.... It’ll be nice to play a game for sure and kind of get a little feel for what it’ll be like. It’ll almost feel like playing in a neutral site, but we’re looking forward to the game.

And in case you are a die hard Islanders fan or just love the way blue and orange work together over protective gear, the uniforms will not change with the move. 

So FIPS'ters, are we excited about the NHL right down the avenue?