The New York Islanders took part in the inaugural NHL Stadium Series in 2014. They took the ice with the New York Rangers at Yankee Stadium in front of 50,027 fans, and the outdoor tradition continued over the next decade. Despite the event becoming annual, the Islanders never received another opportunity to go outside between the Stadium Series and Winter Classic since. Various teams received multiple opportunities to go outside, but the Islanders never got an invitation.
However, that will change in 2024. According to reports from Kevin Weekes and David Pagnotta, the Islanders and Rangers will take the ice outdoors again, this time at MetLife Stadium.
For the Islanders, it’s a long overdue appearance as they’ve been a competitive team for the past decade. The team qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs six times since 2014, advancing to the final four twice in that span. With that success, they’ve also developed some quality names on their roster, including captain Anders Lee, Mat Barzal, and Ilya Sorokin.
However, despite these steps forward, they just never grabbed the attention of the NHL. In the time between appearances, teams like the Chicago Blackhawks, Washington Capitals, Philadelphia Flyers, and Boston Bruins all appeared in outdoor games at least three times. The rival New York Rangers played a Winter Classic of their own at Citi Field in 2018, and Metropolitan foes such as the Pittsburgh Penguins and Flyers matched up twice in Stadium Series play.
The NHL also hosted games in new locations, such as Nashville, Dallas, Denver, and St. Louis. While all these markets are deserving, the Islanders never came up with the opportunity to play in these games.
However, after almost a decade of waiting, the Islanders will take the ice again on one of hockey’s biggest stages. Very few players remain from that first game, including Josh Bailey, Casey Cizikas, Matt Martin, Cal Clutterbuck, and Brock Nelson. However, this will put newer their talent on a national stage, including a Calder Trophy winner in Barzal, Lee, and a Vezina Trophy candidate in Sorokin. It will also be a chance for the Islanders to show off their fanbase, which stole the show of playoff games at Nassau Coliseum and UBS Arena.
As a result, the days of the Islanders waiting for an outdoor game are numbered. After some strong runs of form in the past decade, the Islanders will finally get their opportunity to take the Stadium Series ice at MetLife Stadium, an exciting moment for the team and its fans.
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