Gary Bettman Discusses The Lighthouse NHL Hour

Because I am the geek that I am, I am a faithful listener of the NHL Hour with Commissioner Bettman. Today on his show, the Commissioner addressed the 2nd team in Toronto rumour. But while he was at it, he spoke about the Islanders. Here is the excepts from his radio show as presented on NHL.com by the NHL.com staff.

The Commissioner also told a caller that New York Islanders "cannot stay in the Nassau Coliseum one minute longer than they're required to under their lease."

Islanders owner Charles Wang is attempting to gain approval from the Town of Hempstead for the Lighthouse Project, a development that would include a much-needed remodeling of the Coliseum, the smallest arena in the NHL. The Isles' current lease expires in 2015. Bettman said Wang "is absolutely committed to trying to do everything possible to get the Lighthouse Project moving forward -- but warned that " If that doesn't work, he's going to have to look at his options -- that doesn't necessarily mean his options off of Long Island, but he's going to have to look at his options."

Considering the stories floating around the blogosphere today, those options are many. But who really knows what is being considered and what is purely writer's fantasy.

But Mr. Bettman continued, "That building is antiquated, everyone knows it. It impacts attendance. It impacts team performance. It impacts the experience fans have when they go to the game. It's time for Nassau County and the Town of Hempstead to give him the approvals so that he can move forward," Bettman said. "Let him get the approvals he needs so that he can get the job done. He will get it done, but it's time for the governmental authorities to stop being an impediment to what must happen inevitably -- because if anybody thinks that in the absence of the new arena, this team is going to stay in the Nassau Coliseum, they must be nuts."

Uh... Okay then.