Occasionally in sports, we see teams move to different cities to play in different arenas. After game 7 of the Stanley Cup playoffs against the Washington Capitals, Nassau Coliseum, home of the New York Islanders, closed down for renovations. Unfortunately, this caused the Islanders to move from the Long Island all the way to Brooklyn making the Barclay’s Center their new home. Many memories have been made at the Coliseum, teams have fought, goals have been scored and the Stanley Cup has been won, but sadly the Coliseum needed to be changed.

After my first encounter at the Barclay’s center it’s pretty clear that the Islanders need to be brought back out onto the Island where they belong. I’m not and Islanders fan, but I am a fan of good hockey games, and the game I attended was awful. It was without a doubt the worst game I have been to and I was there to see my favorite team, which is rare for me. I’ve been to at least a dozen Islander games at Nassau Coliseum and the game at the Barclay’s center wasn't the same.

The arena was definitely not built for hockey. It was built for basketball. Half the arena was empty, not from the lack of fans, but from the lack of seats. Half the arena was suite seating which apparently isn’t in use for hockey games. The other half can’t see one goal because the jumbo Tron is so giant it blocks half the ice. Also, the acoustics are awful. Last time I was at an Islanders game I could barely hear myself think because their fans are so crazy. The other night I was ready to go to sleep because it was so quiet.

Also, taking the train in to see Islanders play is not ideal. I miss being able to drive to the games, seeing fans tailgating and getting hyped for the game. I purposefully went to Islander games over Ranger games so I wouldn’t have to take a train to get there. Now, I have to take two trains just to get to Barclay’s. I also miss leaving the games and hearing people honk, “Let’s go Islanders” as annoying as it was it was fun to see that the fans really loved their team. It was one of the biggest traditions for the team and they can’t even have that anymore.

Overall, my experience at the Barclay’s center wasn’t what I expected and it made me miss going to Nassau Coliseum. This team represents Long Island, they're named The Islanders for a reason. Their home is the Island, not Brooklyn, and they belong here where their fans reside. They’ve played in that arena since 1972, they've won four Stanley Cups while there, and have fought through some of the toughest seasons. Nassau is their home. Hopefully once construction is finished at the Coliseum, the Islanders will be back home where they belong.