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New York Islanders
Overall: 84
Title track: 61
Ownership: 110
Coaching: 108
Players: 63
Fan relations: 62
Affordability: 99
Stadium experience: 118
Bang for the buck: 19
Change from last year: -11
The Islanders bolted Nassau Coliseum, played their first season in Brooklyn and posted their first playoff series victory in 23 years. But the loyal fans who made the commute on the Long Island Rail Road were far from pleased with the Barclays Center and the way ownership handled the transition, dragging down the overall ranking 11 points to 84th.
What's good
Building around fan favorite John Tavares, the Islanders have had back-to-back 100-point seasons for the first time since winning the Stanley Cup in 1981 and 1982. Once-maligned GM Garth Snow has put together a Stanley Cup contender, and the No. 61 rank in title track represents a 32-point leap from two years ago. Coach Jack Capuano seems to get little love (108th ranking), which is a little surprising since he has lasted five consecutive seasons behind the bench, the first time that has happened since the legendary Al Arbour did it from 1990-1994. The Islanders' average ticket price of $49.21 was almost $13 below the league average, which is even more impressive given the cost of living in New York City. Throw in a winning team, and you get a 13-point jump in Bang for the Buck to 19th overall.
What's bad
The Islanders ranked 28th in NHL attendance last season with a 13,626 average, nearly 2,000 less than their final campaign at Nassau Coliseum. Fans have complained about the dim lighting and the numerous obstructed seats at the Barclays Center. Brett Yormark, the CEO of Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment, didn't help things when he suggested in an interview that those with blocked sightlines "can watch the game on your mobile device. The game is on the scoreboard." Nassau Coliseum routinely ranked at or near the bottom of our standings in stadium experience, and Barclays Center has carried on the tradition with the worst rating among NHL teams. And a triple-digit ranking in ownership was the fan's goodbye present to Charles Wang, who officially handed the reins to Jon Ledecky (uncle of Olympic gold medalist Katie Ledecky) and college roommate Scott Malkin.
What's new
Despite the winning streaks, fans still aren't convinced about this team's roster, which is down 23 spots from last year. But look no further than Ledecky, who promised at an introductory news conference that he will make the Islanders a "world-class organization." And next year it might be stadium experience on the rise: There already are rumblings that the club could leave the Barclays Center after three seasons by exercising an opt-out clause. Newsday reported over the summer that Ledecky and Malkin have had talks about possibly moving the team to a new arena near Citi Field or Belmont Park. Wherever they skate, if the winning continues, the Islanders are a team that is worth the trip.
Next: New York Rangers | Full rankings