N.Y. Islanders: Five for Flatbush

From the desk of:  BROOKLYN'S FOSTER HOCKEY CLUB

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I'll continue amusing myself from time to time, but,

I hereby officially retire

BROOKLYN'S FOSTER HOCKEY CLUB

The New York Islanders

portion of the BrooklynTrolleyBlogger now rolls..

From the desk of:

FIVE FOR FLATBUSH

New York Islanders: After a 73-year adjournment, Kings County set to open their historic second ever NHL season!

That's right..

The old New York Americans were established in 1924, two years before Tex's Rangers laced up their first pair of skates.  Although both teams played in the same building, they were leagues apart - pardon the pun.

Ownership moved the Americans to Brooklyn where they completed the 1941-1942 season.  The outbreak of WWII, however, necessitated them to suspend operations the following season.  When ownership applied for reinstatement in 1946, the NHL denied them.  You might say the (junior) Rangers claimed eminent domain.

(Thirty years later, I became a Rangers fan).

In any event, the league's decision in 1946 effectively ended to the New York Americans 19-year run, and completely short circuited Brooklyn's claim to an NHL franchise.

More recently, Brooklyn was home to a pair of low level minor league teams whom played in the renovated Hangar Five at Floyd Bennett Field.  The Brooklyn Aces skated between in 2008 and 2009, and from 2011 through 2012 the Brooklyn Aviators brought raucous Federal League Hockey to town.

On Friday, October 9, 2015, a National Hockey League team will once again officially plant its flag in Brooklyn when the New York Islanders host the Chicago Blackhawks at Barclays Center.

Back Together Again:

The Islanders were still an emerging hockey club during the years Dr. J led the New York Nets to a pair of ABA championships.  Of course, the Islanders later went on to form a Long Island dynasty.  

Both teams made Uniondale quite the hang-out back then, that is until the Nets packed up and moved to New Jersey to eventually share an arena with the New Jersey Devils.

While still together, both Long Island teams left behind indelible marks on their respective league's histories.  Julius Irvin perhaps single-handed forced the NBA into merging with the upstart ABA, while the Islanders became the last team to capture four straight Stanley Cup trophies.

If I had my way, they'd both still be playing in Long Island.  But, in a sense, they are - if you consider Long Island proper.  Flatbush, then, would certainly serve as its capital.  That said, it's good to see the Islanders and Nets back together under the same roof again.

The Drive For Five:

...was once the battle cry of the 1985 Islanders, whom were in search of their 5th straight Cup until finally getting undone by Wayne Gretzky and the Edmonton Oilers.  

They are still in search of that elusive 5th Cup, which of course would be Brooklyn's first.  So much for not getting ahead of the cart.

The Islanders are also a sufficiently tough team.  And so Five for Flatbush seemed like a perfectly appropriate name.

The Islanders arrive on Flatbush Avenue as Metropolitan Division and Eastern Conference contenders, replete with a legitimate MVP candidate.

They suffer from a few ongoing problems, particularly on defense and the penalty kill. However, they have not lacked for scoring.

Last season, they posted their first 100-point campaign since their last trip to the finals. 

In local speak, these guys are no chumps.

The puck finally drops on Flatbush Avenue tonight.

A new era starts now.