The Islanders' jerseys are displayed in the team store at the UBS Arena in El Monte on November 15, 2021. REUTERS/Amy Tennery

New York, November 17 (Reuters)-On Saturday, New York Islanders will usher in a brand new home on Long Island. They will end 13 arduous road trips and a 10-year journey in search of a permanent place Come hang their skates.

The team has been playing there since its establishment in 1972. In order to find a new home away from the old Nassau Stadium, former owner Charles King tried to develop a plan for a new Long Island facility in 2011, but failed. He eventually signed a 25-year lease, starting in 2015, at the New Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

This move was not welcomed by Long Island fans, who were frustrated to see their only major professional men's team leave Long Island and move to a facility originally designed for basketball.

"Brooklyn really didn't have a chance, it scared a lot of people," said 29-year-old Devin Robinson, a lifelong fan of the Islanders, who launched the Long Island hockey clothing brand Yes Men Outfitters in 2017.

"It's like,'This place doesn't work, if we don't let it work, then the people who bought this team might move it somewhere'."

On the contrary, the new owners Scott Malkin and Jon Ledkey-the uncle of Olympic gold medalist Katie Ledkey-acquired a majority stake in 2016. By the 2018-2019 season, the team was in Time is allocated between Brooklyn and the home gym.

Their state of uncertainty will end on Saturday, and the first islanders game will be played in the UBS Arena, which is part of a 43-acre complex adjacent to the existing Belmont Park Racecourse, 17,250 A hockey fan will see a large banner there that says "Welcome home!"

"If you come from the Nassau Stadium and we have been there for more than 30 years... it is going from the worst building in the league to the best building in the league," Oak View CEO Tim Levi The Kesay Group cooperates with the islanders on privately funded projects.

This week, dozens of construction workers hurried through a comprehensive food stall featuring local cuisine and a huge team store, full of New York’s nostalgia for Saturday’s debut, during which the islanders will face Karl Gary Flames.

"I won't change anything now, but it was terrible a few years ago," said Donald Rosner, 40, another lifelong fan who recalled rumors that the team might move to Kansas or Quebec.

His Blue Line Deli will see his famous blue and orange bagels and specialty sandwiches in UBS Arena products.

"Going up the escalator (at UBS) and everything seems to be a dream to me," Rosner said.

However, the team’s recent performance seems more like a nightmare than a dream. Four consecutive losses ended in a 6-1 defeat of the Florida Panthers on Tuesday.

"We have a group of people who trust each other," said center Casey Cizikas. He and his teammates are expected to skate at the UBS Arena for the first time on Thursday.

"We know what we can do. The key is to get back to that state and find our best state. It's not easy."

Our standard: Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Subscribe to our daily featured newsletter to receive the latest exclusive Reuters reports sent to your inbox.

Reuters, the news and media division of Thomson Reuters, is the world's largest multimedia news provider, reaching billions of people around the world every day. Reuters provides business, financial, domestic and international news directly to consumers through desktop terminals, world media organizations, industry events and directly.

Rely on authoritative content, lawyer editing expertise, and industry-defining technology to build the most powerful argument.

The most comprehensive solution to manage all complex and expanding tax and compliance needs.

An industry leader in providing online information for tax, accounting and financial professionals.

Access unparalleled financial data, news, and content with a highly customized workflow experience on desktop, web, and mobile devices.

Browse an unparalleled combination of real-time and historical market data and insights from global resources and experts.

Screen high-risk individuals and entities on a global scale to help discover hidden risks in business relationships and interpersonal relationships.

All quotes are delayed by at least 15 minutes. Please see the complete list of exchanges and delays here.