Bettman: 'Lots of interest' in buying Islanders

Newsday has quotes from NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman from Thursday's Associated Press Sports Editors commissioners meetings in Manhattan, which include comments on the potential sale of the Islanders by Charles Wang.

"There's lots of interest being expressed," Bettman said. "He's listening. But he hasn't made a firm decision to sell."

With the team set to move to Brooklyn at the start of the 2015-16 season, Bettman noted how the team's economic situation would change with the move from Nassau Coliseum to Barclays. He also disagreed with suggestions the 25-year lease with Barclays isn't conducive to putting a successful team on the ice.

Also this: "Why after 10 years and tens of millions of dollars, couldn't they have figured out how to get a new building on the Island?" Bettman said. "In the absence of public financing, you needed an economically viable model to pay for it. And it's not uncommon for these communities to step up and help build these buildings. Apparently Nassau and the Town of Hempstead weren't in a position to do that."

Source: Steven Marcus, Newsday