new york islanders history
new york islanders history
Outside of New York City, in the small town of Uniondale on Long Island, the New York Islanders take to the ice at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. One of the most intense rivalries in the National Hockey League exists between the Islanders and the New York Rangers. The Islanders ticket holders are excited to see that rivalry take off again as the NHL returns to the ice in 2005. With offensive players Mike York and Miroslav Satan and defensemen Alexei Zhitnik, Brad Lukowich, and Brent Sopel, the New York Islanders are ready to take on the Rangers and the rest of the NHL for the right to hoist the Stanley Cup,
Founded in 1974 amidst the drama of the creation of the World Hockey Association, the New York Islanders faced opposition to their existence from the very beginning. The National Hockey League did not want another team in the same metro area as the New York Rangers, The Islanders had to pay a $4 million territorial fee to them just to compete. The creation of the WHA was problematic to the NHL as many of the best players jumped to join the newest teams and leaving the newly created Islanders with junior-league stars. That first season, the Islanders were the worst team in the NHL.
The following year, the Islanders hired a new coach and drafted forward Bob Nystrom and defenseman Denis Potvin. Despite not making the playoffs that season, the Islanders had turned around their business management and talent pool, and the next season they became one of the most successful franchises in the NHL.
In 1980, New York Islanders ticket holders’ patience and loyalty was rewarded with a winning season that culminated in the first Stanley Cup win. Bryan Trottier and Mike Bossy led the team in their win over the Philadelphia Flyers, but Bob Nystrom was the hero of the series when he nailed an overtime goal in the sixth game, giving the Islanders the Stanley Cup.
From 1981 to 1983, the New York Islanders continued to dominate the league in scoring, total wins, and successive Stanley Cups, beating the Minnesota North Stars, and sweeping the Vancouver Cannucks and Edmonton Oilers. Islanders ticket holders were enthralled with their team’s success and have held onto such hopes even through the following losing seasons. In 1989, the New York Islanders missed the NHL Playoffs for the first time in 15 years.
In 2002, the New York Islanders opened the season 11-1-1 and made the NHL Playoffs, where they fell to the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round. The Maple Leafs had home-ice advantage for the seventh game. If the deciding seventh game had been played at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, which is known as one of the toughest arenas to play in for an opposing team due to the amazing crowd noise, the New York Islanders likely would have advanced.
The Islanders look to be having another tough year at the start of this season. Can the New York Islanders ticket holders' faith stand against a rough start? With the newly acquired Brad Lukowich, Alexei Zhitnik and Brent Sopel, the New York Islanders certainly have enough talent to keep the hope alive. So pick up your New York Islanders tickets today!
