Why is Barclays Center ice substandard? System doesn't meet NHL standards, say beat writers

So, when the New York Islanders complained about choppy, not-so-safe ice at the Barclays Center, arena management pledged to improve the ice by hiring an "ice technician."

That didn't quite work, as Newsday's Arthur Staple reported:

#Isles were highly critical of Barclays Center ice last night. Clutterbuck called it "unplayable." Boychuk said it was "bouncy."

— Arthur Staple (@StapeNewsday) October 22, 2016

But there's not much else to be done. Arena has dehumidifiers and an in-house ice engineer now. Only one change will make a difference...

— Arthur Staple (@StapeNewsday) October 22, 2016

That's switching from plastic pipes to steel. And that would require shutting down the arena for a summer. Almost zero chance of that.

— Arthur Staple (@StapeNewsday) October 22, 2016

Looking back, that should have been done when the Barclays Center developers knew that the Islanders were coming. Which had to have been August 2012, when they installed revised dasherboards to meet NHL standards. But it was a challenge to finish the arena on time, so I'd guess that either cost and/or simple construction time kept the change from being made.

Then again, then-Islanders owner Charles Wang in October 2012 said that talks with the Barclays Center builder/operator began seven months earlier.

Chris Botta added:

1. NHL source: Floor piping system at Barclays Center in Brooklyn does not meet NHL standard requirements for ice-making.

— Chris Botta (@ChrisBottaNHL) October 22, 2016

2. Barclays has PVC piping. All other NHL rinks have steel pipes. PVC cannot maintain ideal temp of 21 degrees for NHL play.

— Chris Botta (@ChrisBottaNHL) October 22, 2016

3. Only solution is to tear up Barclays Center floor and install proper piping.
Not easy, but should have been done in offseason.

— Chris Botta (@ChrisBottaNHL) October 22, 2016

4. Arena mgt knows this and hasn't fixed it yet, which is inexcusable, brings down caliber of play and is potentially dangerous.

— Chris Botta (@ChrisBottaNHL) October 22, 2016

Barclays ice will be fine when weather is freezing. But (heaven forbid) there's a long Cup run someday...disastah.

— Chris Botta (@ChrisBottaNHL) October 22, 2016

6. New Islanders owners want to fix the ice problem. Likely another big reason they are looking at other arena deals.

— Chris Botta (@ChrisBottaNHL) October 22, 2016

But there's no public money, is there, for a new arena? As the Post's Larry Brooks wrote:

Indeed, Slap Shots has learned Islanders ownership has held meetings with folks representing Wilpon-owned Sterling Equities to discuss constructing an arena on what would be the third base/left field area of the parking lot.
It is unclear how this project would be financed. As previously stated in this space, it is all but impossible to believe a one-team arena for which the area — that features MSG, Barclays, Prudential Center and a remodeled Coliseum — has no need could draw any support for public funding, regardless of how necessary new digs are for the Islanders.