Ed Mangano

The New York Islanders were already stuck with a major problem before the NHL lockout began; now that problem has only gotten greater.

There are only three seasons (the lockout included) scheduled until Charles Wang's Islanders will be in a new home. Whether that new home is the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, a new or renovated arena developed at the Hub in Uniondale or Quebec, Seattle, or another city due to relocation is unknown. (Photo Credit: Nuke812/Flickr)

Despite the fan banter and lack of talks between the powers that be, Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano was accepting RFQ's to be granted permission to develop the site that holds the Nassau Coliseum. Some developers made it clear that they would want to keep the Islanders in their plans. However, there has been little discussion since then and it remains uncertain as to what will happen.

The New York Islanders are heading straight towards the expiration of their lease with Nassau Coliseum in 2015 and still have no plan set for what will happen with the Hub, as well as the future of the Long Island's only professional sports team.

Recently, Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano released a statement to Newsday that he is looking for developers that are interested in developing the site. His plan would have a master developer renovate or construct a new Coliseum that could potentially keep the Islanders here.

However, Mangano's RFQ (Request for Qualification) would provide the master developer the right to share revenue with the Islanders while the team basically remained a tenant in a building that the owner had nothing to do with being built.

Can you see where this already seems like a "wait...what?" scenario?

Ed Mangano can repeat himself multiple times on Twitter, stating that he is doing everything he can in his "ongoing plans" to keep the Islanders in Uniondale, but NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman has made it clear: the Islanders will be leaving Nassau County in 2015.

A front page article was released in Newsday this weekend that had Bettman's words put directly on paper, making the harsh reality of the Islanders Coliseum problems look even more hopeless. He was quick to say that the Town of Hempstead and Nassau County have done a terrible job of trying to come up with a new plan to renovate the 40-year old arena. As a result, he is looking into other possible destinations for the New York Islanders.