Something interesting today popped up on the Islanders website.
Islanders website 5/15/15: Named Bob Thornton Director Of Islanders Iceworks
“This is an exciting opportunity to return to the facility my family
helped build,” Thornton said. “I’m excited to provide a place for the
top players on Long Island to train, develop and progress to the next
stage of their playing careers.”
On 3/18/15 Bob Thornton Was Named 18U Head Coach Of The PAL Junior Islanders
Bob Thornton into 2014-15 was the New Jersey Rockets General Manager, EHL & MJHL Head Coach.
Bob Thornton is entering his ninth year with the NJ Rockets Junior
program as director and head coach of the EHL, U19 and MJHL teams. He
was an assistant coach of Roanoke Express (ECHL), and played in the
USHL, OHL and ECHL throughout his 10-year career as a hockey player. Bob
is also the owner of Elite Hockey Group which specializes in off and on
ice training development during the off season.
On 9/14/13 NYIFC had an entry titled: New York/Bridgeport Will Practice At Charles Wang's IceWorks Past 2015 which mostly detailed the Islanders history with practice facilities.
That entry notes Robert Thornton the first gm of the facility under Charles Wang passed away on Sept 3rd 2013.
Mr
Thornton and his wife resigned on 5/24/2004 filing a lawsuit in 2006
against the Islanders which from Islanders end was handled by 2011
Referendum firm of Nixon-Peabody. Thornton was thrilled at Wang's
purchase in 2001.
That would also be the same Robert Thornton SR who was Bryan Trottier's agent/business manager when he was a player, and had a huge financial falling out. Some folks may remember the Glice rink Thornton ran under Trottier's name in the 1980's.
NY Times 10/26/94 Has an article with details about what happened with quotes from Mr Thornton.
Long story short Bob Thornton Jr is the new director of Islanders Iceworks, his father used to run Iceworks for Charles Wang, and filed a lawsuit against the New York Islanders.
Does that mean the Islanders will practice there? No idea, depends on the terms of that lease which Wang said would be honored this year.