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Ratner and Yormark meet with NHL executives; talk of preseason for Islanders at Barclays or a move?

Late Thursday night, NetsDaily reported that Barclays Center arena operators Bruce Ratner and Brett Yormark met with National Hockey League officials, leading to renewal of talk about the possibility of the New York Islanders, whose Nassau Coliseum renovation plan was just voted down, could become the Brooklyn Islanders.

No details emerged--was it just about pre-season games?--but Newsday and CBSSports.com's Eye on Hockey followed up. Pre-season games are absolutely plausible; consider that the New Jersey Nets booked such dates at the Prudential Center in Newark before moving to an interim home there.

The Barclays Center, due to its basketball-centric design, would have the smallest capacity in the NHL, some 14,000, and with inadequate sightlines for a certain segment of fans.

Then again, moving to Barclays could bring revenues through more expensive suites and seats--and preserve a lucrative local cable TV contract, a factor that a Forbes writer thinks would ensure a Brooklyn move rather than one out of town. Neil deMause, however, thinks that Islanders owner Charles Wang will give a new arena one more try.

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