The New York Islanders have not made the playoffs in each of the last two seasons, but their franchise value is still soaring.
According to Sportico, the team has reached an agreement to sell roughly 15% of the franchise to a group of investors at a $3 billion valuation. The deal still needs NHL approval, and it is not expected to affect the club’s day-to-day operations. Scott Malkin will remain the controlling owner.
That figure is striking when measured against what Malkin and Jon Ledecky paid for the Islanders in 2014: $485 million. More than a decade later, the latest valuation is more than six times that purchase price.
The jump has not come only from what has happened on the ice. UBS Arena has reshaped the business side of the organization since opening in 2021.
The $1.1 billion building gave the Islanders a permanent home after years of searching following their departure from Nassau Coliseum. The surrounding development at Belmont Park has continued to grow, and the arena has also become a major concert venue alongside its hockey schedule.
There is also a notable comparison to a recent minority investment. In 2023, Oliver Haarmann bought a 10% stake in the Islanders at a reported $1.75 billion valuation. This latest deal would put the team at $3 billion.
For fans, the number itself does not mean much in the standings column. The Islanders still have work to do under Mathieu Darche and Pete DeBoer after back-to-back missed postseasons.
But the franchise is in a very different place than it was a decade ago. It has a new arena, a developing district around it, and Matthew Schaefer as the young face of the team. And now it carries a $3 billion price tag.
In Other News...
Mathew Barzals Status Just Put Islanders Fans On Opening Night Watch
Mathew Barzals status has become one of the Islanders early camp storylines, and for good reason. The center has missed the preseason after not passing his physical at the start of training camp, leaving the team to manage his recovery while keeping an eye on the start of the regular season. Even so, the setup is not as ominous as it first sounds, because the Islanders still have a path to getting him back into the lineup quickly once he is ready.
Barzal is currently designated as injured non roster because of a left knee injury, a label that keeps him off the active group for now but does not close the door on a fast return. He is eligible to play the same day he is placed on the roster, which is why opening night now feels like the date to watch. For the Islanders, the hope is straightforward: have one of their most important players ready when the games start to count. [Read more 🡒]
Islanders Forward Group Sends A Clear Message About Opening Night
The Islanders locked in their opening-night roster before the 5 p.m. deadline, and the shape of the forward group says plenty about where things stand heading into the new season. The club officially carried 13 forwards, eight defensemen and two goalies, with 19-year-old Victor Eklund earning a spot out of training camp and giving the lineup a fresh look right away.
Matthew Barzals status is the other part of the picture, as he is listed as Injured Non-Roster and does not count toward the 23-player limit. There is still no timeline for his return, which leaves the Islanders with a little more uncertainty in the short term even as they head into opening night with their roster set. [Read more 🡒]
Islanders Enter The Season With One Debate Fans Cant Ignore
The Islanders wrapped up their preseason with a few final roster calls that helped clarify the shape of the group heading into opening night. Logan Stanley was signed, while Cole Eiserman and Kashawn Aitcheson were assigned to Hamilton, a reminder that the club is still sorting through its depth even as it moves from exhibition mode to the regular season under coach Pete DeBoer.
New York also closed the preseason with a loss to New Jersey, so the focus now shifts to how the lineup pieces fit once the games count. Bo Horvat, Ryan Pulock, Matthew Schaefer, Kyle Palmieri, Alexander Romanov and Semyon Varlamov are all expected to play key roles, but the bigger question around the Islanders remains how the roster settles after those last decisions and what it means for the tone of the season ahead. [Read more 🡒]