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Bettman doesn’t want to give Isles fans ‘hope’ of return to Nassau County

Capitals

Capitals

The Washington Post/Getty Images

Despite the “ironclad” 25-year lease the Islanders signed in Brooklyn, there continues to be speculation that the team may not, in fact, be long for Barclays Center and could be back playing in Nassau County, at a renovated Coliseum, in a matter of years.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman did not want to add to that speculation today.

“Based on what I’ve seen and what Charles Wang’s efforts have been for the last decade, I’m not sure it’s fair to give the fans -- even the people who live in Nassau County -- any hope that something’s coming next,” Bettman said, per Newsday.

“Lots of possibilities have been thrown out about an arena for the last decade and none of them have materialized.”

You will note that he did not entirely rule the possibility out.