Expect some aesthetic changes this season.

Starting in the 2020-21 season, NHL teams will be wearing corporate logos on the side of their helmets. This new piece of branding will most likely replace where teams have kept their own logo. So far, teams such as the Predators, Capitals, and Devils have announced their partnerships in the program. 

There are plenty of rational options for the Islanders’ helmet sponsor going into next season. So, let’s take a dive into what they may look like.

The Islanders’ Helmets Expected Sponsors

UBS should be a company that rings a bell in the ear’s of Islanders fans. Starting in the 2021-22 season, the Islanders will call UBS Arena their home. So far, the three teams that have picked a helmet sponsor have chosen their stadium’s sponsor.

The Devils have gone with Prudential, the Capitals with Verizon, and the Predators with Bridgestone. In following precedent, UBS seems to be an obvious choice. 

Northwell Health, a healthcare network spanning much of southern New York, has been highly associated with the New York Islanders. Not only are they the team’s official healthcare sponsor, they also are the title sponsor for the Islanders’ practice facility in Eisenhower Park.

For their long history, Northwell is a sensible pick to slap onto the Islanders’ helmet.

The Underdogs

The Islanders are not in UBS Arena yet, though. For now, they call Nassau Veteran’s Memorial Coliseum their home for the 2020-21 season. NYCB, just like UBS, is another bank; albeit on a much smaller scale. 

Though, NYCB actually pulled out of their naming agreement this past August as the ownership rights of the Coli changed hands. For this reason, NYCB could still enter into the advertising sphere of the Islanders without the large commitment and price tag associated with naming rights by establishing their branding on the New York Islanders’ helmets. 

Jake’s 58 is a casino/hotel located in central Long Island, right off of the Long Island Expressway. They are also a major corporate sponsor of the Islanders just like NYCB and Northwell.

Though, the Las Vegas Golden Knights had issues in their branding with the NHL ensuring that the team’s name would not reference gambling. With how potentially large a helmet sponsor could be, the NHL may bring up the same apprehension with having it filled by a casino.

The Longshots

Finally, the longshots. These, to me, are not very likely at all. Really, they are more just pipe dreams that are fun to think about.

First up: Oyster Bay Brewing Company. It’s rare to say that there’s a sports-centric alcoholic beverage, especially one centered around a single team. Regardless, Oyster Bay’s “Barn Rocker” is, according to the company themselves, a “perfect hockey beer.”

That level of commitment should get a nod, right?

If the Islanders were feeling a bit more charitable, then I think the “Anders Lee Kancer Jam,” would be a perfect fit for the helmet’s ad space. The event, which is part of the larger “Jam Cancer in the Kan” charity, was last held in 2018. The last time the even was held, it raised over 128,000 dollars. With the event doing so well and being run by the team’s captain, it would be a great addition if the team was to roll a couple of sponsors for the helmet throughout the season. 

Most likely, UBS will be the Islanders’ helmet sponsor for this season. The bank is most likely looking to establish themselves in the minds of Islanders fans, and this ad spot would be a perfect way to do so without a steep price tag.

John Smark