Survivor China

Something smells fishy here… and it’s not the sushi from the Nassau Coliseum concessions.

What in the world is happening on Long Island? You know, I’ve been a casual Islander fan for almost ten years now. Still, I must agree with the hecklers that the New York Islanders are probably the biggest joke of a franchise in all of sports. This is Charles Wang’s latest gimmick in a long line of failed marketing ploys for the Isles. For a remotely rational explanation for this latest debacle, look no further than Islanders owner Charles Wang. For several years, Wang has tried to gain the NHL some attention in Asia, and he’s finally managed to organize a tour of pre-season games in China.

“The team will be in China from Sept. 14-23, with most of that time spent in Beijing, Wang said. The Islanders will also visit Harbin and Qiqihar in Heilongjiang Province in the northeast, the most popular area for winter sports in China. The trip will conclude what he called the team’s “friendship tour” in Shanghai.

“We have gotten approval from the N.H.L. Players’ Association, the N.H.L. and the Chinese government, and they are welcoming us and are excited about us coming,” Wang said.

Wang said the Islanders would combine training sessions during the tour with games in four cities. Some would be intrasquad games, and others would involve the Chinese national team. He said half the Chinese players would combine with half the Islanders players to create two mixed teams, which would play exhibition matches.

“The Far East, and China in particular, represents a huge untapped opportunity to grow both participation and interest in our game,” Daly said. “Charles Wang has always recognized this potential and has worked tirelessly over a number of years on a project to expose the N.H.L. and N.H.L. players to the Chinese people and culture.”

The Islanders, who are in Florida as they struggle for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, will be the first N.H.L. team to tour China.” {NYT}

So the Isles will be in China for up to a week and a half, then they’ll come home to the States and start the exhibition slate, only to travel some more. I’m curious, when some of these global treks for NHL and NFL games come up as a serious consideration, do the respective leagues ever think about the players? Jet-lag much? I mean, who cares if the Isles come home and go winless through the preseason as long as they’re ready to go on opening night? Well, they could also be sluggish into the regular season, too. Whatever, that’s kind of beside the point here. My point of emphasis is why does the NHL need to try and generate interest in Beijing and Shanghai? Maybe in 2011, Gary Bettman can send the Florida Panthers to Zimbabwe to help spread NHL awareness. Heck, they made a movie about the Rangers playing a game in Alaska, so I suppose anything is possible (“Mystery, Alaska” great flick). It just seems awfully cliché to me that Charles Wang wants to take this circus of a franchise of his to Asia for over a week. Do you think many of those players within the Islander locker room are very keen on the idea of this trip? In any case, I can’t help but get the feeling there is more to this trip. Are you thinking what I’m thinking? (I sure hope not).

Seriously, though; let’s step outside the box here. Could the powers-that-be of the NHL possibly – in their right minds – be considering relocating a franchise to China? I may have just lost you in saying that. However, consider the recent track record for the Islander franchise since Wang gained ownership of the team. Among the ridiculous and comical ideas Wang has used/considered for the Islanders are: the 15 year contract offered to Rick DiPietro in 2006; promoting then backup goaltender Garth Snow to… General Manager in the same year; toying with the idea of sticking a sumo wrestler between the pipes to play goalie, not to mention the multitude of current NHL superstars he’s traded away. The laundry list of names includes Roberto Luongo, Olli Jokinen, Tim Connolly and Taylor Pyatt to name a few. But perhaps the biggest disappointment during Wang’s reign of terror is his interest in moving the team and the debacle that the Lighthouse Project has turned into (www.lighthouseli.com). You can read all about this project and how it is essentially the last hope to keep the Islanders on Long Island. It’s quite an intriguing project for the island. However, it’s been on the table for nearly seven years. Wang has gone public saying that if the project is not approved soon, he will not hesitate to relocate this once proud franchise. Kansas City has already been considered a favorite should the Isles move. Now with the Beijing training camp trip, nothing seems outside the realm of possibility for the New York Islanders.

Check Out These Hot Stories On The Web