As the New York Islanders took the ice at Nassau Coliseum on Monday against the Boston Bruins, it marked a historic occasion for multiple reasons. For starters, it was their final home opener in their long time home before moving to UBS Arena this October. It also is their first home opener to be played behind closed doors with no fans in attendance.

However, it was also another first for the Coliseum itself, as it was the first game under a new name. The newly dubbed Nassau Live Center saw its first NHL game in the home opener. For some, it may take some getting used to, as New York Community Bank (NYCB) held the naming rights for the building since it reopened in 2017.

Like every arena in the NHL, the name of the arena is apparent at center ice under the scoreboard. With the new name, the center ice looks noticeably different and has a potential hint toward the future. With “The Old Barn” having a new identity, let’s break down the origin of the name, its appearance on the Islanders’ ice and its potential significance.

The Backstory:

The story of the name went fairly under the radar in the midst of other arena struggles. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, then NYCB Live, Home of the Nassau Coliseum, was forced to close its doors indefinitely. With no NHL games and other events since mid-March, Nassau Coliseum was losing money, not to mention already existing debt problems. As a result, the ownership group of Nassau Events Center, LLC (NEC), led by Mikhail Prokhorov, decided to shut the doors on the Coliseum until it could find a new tenant for the building.

After months of searching, Prokhorov was able to find a new tenant in the form of Nassau Live and Nassau Live Center, LLC in August 2020. However, shortly after the announcement, NYCB pulled out of the naming rights agreement it had with the building, likely due to the financial bloodletting. With this news, Nassau Live was able to take control of the naming rights, and thus Nassau Live Center was born.

The Ice:

With the new name, part of the ice isn’t really that odd. The “Nassau Live Center” name sits close to the benches and UBS and Northwell Health logos. The latter two, although new to the Islanders’ ice, aren’t really that surprising as they are the team’s helmet sponsors this year.

The primary Islanders logo remains underneath the scoreboard in the face-off circle, and the red line doesn’t look that much different. However, the area by the penalty boxes is where things get interesting. Jake’s 58 and a new sponsor in Betway sit below the center ice dot, but the writing outside the dot is peculiar.

Instead of a repeat of the “Nassau Live Center” print, the print reads “1972-2021.” While the choice is very perplexing, the print can take on several meanings. For starters, it represents the Islanders’ lifespan in the NHL, spanning from the 1972 season to 2021 season. It may also be a reference to the team’s Long Island roots, as the team has spent most of its life on the Island, excluding a few years at Barclays Center.

However, most notably, it represents the arena’s own lifespan since its opening since 1972 to the present day. As the arena will no longer host a professional team after this season, the idea makes sense from there. However, the question is does it mean anything further?

The Future?

After the NHL leaves Nassau Live Center and UBS Arena opens, the future of the former seems pretty bleak. Several high end acts and groups will look to make their mark on the arena for the future at Belmont Park, leaving Nassau Coliseum, unfortunately, as an afterthought. As unfortunate as it may seem, this could be the end of this generation of Nassau Coliseum.

After the arena closed in 2015, it was noticeably downsized from a 16,000 seat arena to a 13,917 seat one for hockey. After the Islanders leave, the only events remaining at the Coliseum are the Long Island Nets of the NBA G-League and the Riptide of the National Lacrosse League, plus the occasional concert and show.

With no other major league teams at the Coliseum, this could mean the arena will see further change this offseason. In order to better accommodate these teams and prevent further financial woes, it is possible the arena may be downsized further in the near future.

However, this idea is just speculation at this point in time. As of today, Nassau Live Center is pushing to stay open for the foreseeable future, even with nearby UBS Arena opening soon. The venue will see some struggles after the Islanders leave, but it is possible that the arena can be a successful venture in the future. Despite all the speculation, the Islanders will be looking to make the most of the Nassau Live Center era before the Belmont Park era begins.

Matthew Page

I am a first year student at Hofstra University and an avid Islanders fan. I have been writing for Drive4Five since March 2020. My family has been season ticket holders for the team since 2016, and hockey is my favorite sport. As I expand my knowledge in the field of Journalism, I am writing to express my love for the Islanders and the NHL.