The Islanders on Thursday announced a capacity of 15,813 for the team's Sept. 21 preseason game at Barclays Center, a figure that "would keep the Isles' new building from being the smallest in the league" when the team moves to Brooklyn for the '15-16 season, according to Arthur Staple of NEWSDAY. The new figure is up from an original projection of "around 15,000." Forest City Ratner Chair & CEO Bruce Ratner and Barclays Center CEO Brett Yormark have "configured the seating to accommodate closer to 16,000 seats, and that is without 416 seats at the obstructed end that will not be sold because of the view." Some of those 15,813 are obstructed-view seats, but Yormark said that the arena "plans to add roughly 75 to 100 premium, ice-level seats, which could move the capacity even higher." Staple notes MTS Centre in Winnipeg "has the smallest capacity of any NHL arena at 15,004" (NEWSDAY, 9/13). In N.Y., Brett Cyrgalis reports Islanders Owner Charles Wang on Thursday "was not ruling anything out" a move to Brooklyn earlier than '15-16. However, Wang said there have been "no discussions" about an earlier move. Cyrgalis writes, "With some minor construction, it seems hockey could be ready to move to Brooklyn as early as next season. If it’s not ready to happen full-time for an assortment of reasons, then a part-time plan of a handful of games is a distinct possibility, given the NHL allows for dual citizenship" (N.Y. POST, 9/13).
