New York Post

Puck stops here

Isles may ditch B’klyn for Qns.

- By RICH CALDER and JOSH KOSMAN rcalder@nypost.com

The Islanders’ first season in Brooklyn was such a flop with fans and players that the hockey club is considerin­g skating off to Queens — or even back to Long Island, sources told The Post.

The Isles have been holding secret talks with the Mets about teaming up to build a new hockey arena next to Citi Field, sources said.

But if that doesn’t work out, Islanders owners Jonathan Ledecky and Scott Malkin could move the team to Elmont, LI, sources said.

Ledecky and Malkin, who took control of the team on July 1, are currently trying to renegotiat­e a 25-year lease with Barclays Center.

That change would hinge on a raft of hockey-related improvemen­ts at the Brooklyn arena, which was not built to accommodat­e hockey.

Although the Islanders had one of the NHL’s top home records and ended a 23-year drought by winning a playoff series, fans still cried foul about the move from the team’s original Nassau County base.

They routinely complained about obstructed-view seating, jacked-up ticket prices, the nixing of longtime team traditions and being made to feel like secondclas­s citizens in a building dominated by the NBA’s Nets.

NHL players also griped about poor ice conditions at Barclays.

Sources said neither the Island- ers nor the Mets had yet reached out to City Hall about the approvals that would be needed to build in Queens.

A city spokesman said Mayor de Blasio “remains committed” to bringing affordable housing to the Willets Point site near Citi Field.

Meanwhile, a state source confirmed that the Islanders have made preliminar­y inquiries about moving the club to vacant state-owned land near Belmont Park. That is near another parcel being eyed by the Cosmos for a soccer stadium.

The Islanders averaged 13,626 fans per home game, ranking 28th out of 30 NHL clubs.

The Post first reported in February that the Isles’ relationsh­ip with Barclays Center was on such thin ice that both sides were secretly exploring ways to cut ties or modify the terms of the 25-year lease. The deal includes an out clause that kicks in after the Islanders’ fourth season there.

The Islanders and Mets declined to comment.

Barclays spokesman Barry Baum redirected questions about the potential move, saying, “Last week, Ledecky told the media that Barclays is our home. For any other questions, call the Islanders.”

When asked last week if he’d consider opting out of the Barclays deal early, Ledecky crypticall­y said, “We are committed to New York. We are the New York Islanders,” never mentioning Brooklyn.

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 ??  ?? AN ICE SPOT: The Islanders are considerin­g fleeing Barclays Center for a new home near Citi Field, where auto junk yards fill the Willets Point area (above).
AN ICE SPOT: The Islanders are considerin­g fleeing Barclays Center for a new home near Citi Field, where auto junk yards fill the Willets Point area (above).

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