"We have a long-term contractual arrangement here. We're here another eight years,"
said Bridgeport Sound Tigers president Howard Saffan, whose Harbor Yard Sports and Entertainment also operates Bridgeport's Webster Bank Arena.
Saffan echoed what he has said every other time relocation rumors spring up.
"It's wonderful that A plus B equals C, but there's reality," Saffan said.
"It's wonderful that Barclays is the developer," Saffan said. "We wholeheartedly support that. We'll see what tomorrow brings."
NYIFC Comments:
No Bridgeport Sound Tigers at Coliseum as said all along.
Will be very interesting to see if Dolan's AHL team winds up at the Coliseum based upon this news. Either that or Ratner's group brings in his own AHL team to compete against the Islander affiliate in Bridgeport.
Since the 2010–11 season, every team in the league had an affiliation agreement with an NHL team from another organization which mean an imported Coliseum team would not represent the New York Islanders prospects.
AHL.com has an updated list of current NHL/AHL affiliations.
Here is a listing of all ECHL/NHL affiliations from Ratner to choose from if he chooses to go ECHL, and is allowed.