The New York Islanders announced Thursday morning that they will play their first 2017-18 preseason game at their old home, the Nassau Coliseum, on Sept. 17, at 1 p.m. against the Philadelphia Flyers.
Now dubbed the NYCB Live’s Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, the building once nicknamed “Fort Neverlose” or simply “The Old Barn” served as the Islanders’ home from their inception in 1972 to 2015.
While the modern-day amenities lacked, it was by far one of the loudest buildings and most intimidating places to play in the NHL while holding an important place in the hearts of many Islanders fans:
The team has played at the Barclays Center since 2015 in what has been a failed experiment. A lack of attendance and poor sightlines for a hockey arena has the team and the venue ready to opt out of their 25-year lease. Nassau Coliseum, on the other hand, received a facelift and is being billed as concert and special events venue. The building can hold around 13,000, but additional seats can be added if needed.
At the moment, it looks as though the area near Belmont Park race track is the favorite to become the Islanders’ new home, but you can bet thousands of Long Island-based fans are going to flock to the updated arena in September.
For at least one last time, that building is going to rock for hockey, even if it’s for something as trivial as an exhibition affair.
Tickets will go on sale June 29, at 10 a.m.
