Hartford's XL Center has been pitched to be the temporary home of the New York Islanders.
"Recoginizing that many issues will complicate your decision making, we would nonetheless like to offer Hartford's XL Center as an option for your interim use," it read in a letter signed by Governor Dannel Malloy and Mayor Luke Bronin.
It was reported that the Brooklyn's Barclays Center and the New York Islanders will be ending their contract, leaving the hockey team needing a new home.
"Hartford offers an NHL market with more Fortune 500 companies than many NHL cities including Columbus, Raleigh, Buffalo and Nashville," the letter reads.
The governor and city mayor note that Hartford was the home of the Whalers, "whose fan base is still ranked as one of the NHL's most energetic with the continued sale of items trademarked with classic green and blue logo."
However, the New York Islanders said they will be playing at the Barclays in New York this season, adding that the governor's release was a surprise to them.
“The public letter that the Connecticut Governor's office released earlier today was the first we had heard of the news. We are thrilled to be playing this season in front of our passionate New York Islanders fan base at Barclays Center, with the goal of making the playoffs. We look forward to another great year of New York Islanders hockey at Barclays Center next season,” a spokesman for the New York Islanders told NBC Connecticut.
