Grand Manan — If one Grand Manan lobster fisherman’s dreams come true, you could soon see NHL hockey players lacing up their skates on the small New Brunswick island.
According to reports, the New York Islanders have not been enough of a revenue generator for the billionaire owner of the Barclays Centre in Brooklyn, leading to speculation the team may have to find another home. Wilfred Allaby thinks Grand Manan would be the perfect place for the team to relocate to.
“We got a brand-new arena that opened in 2010, and already it’s had a nice upgrade,” Allaby said, referring to the 2012 addition of a heated viewing area that was paid for by chocolate bar giant Mars.
“Remember that logo they used in the late ’90s with the fisherman on it? It’s the spitting image of my grandfather Reginald. They won’t have to have a name-change contest, come up with a different mascot, none of that. It would be nice if they could change the colour scheme to New Brunswick, but I wouldn’t see that as a deal-breaker.”
While it may seem unlikely that players used to big-city life would enjoy living on the island, Allaby says there are similar comforts here in rural New Brunswick.
“We could set them up with all the lobster they could ever want to eat. Need some drugs? No problem, they flow through here all the time. Need some company? Lotsa lonely girlfriends and wives when the boys are out on the boats.”