The Islanders announced Wednesday they have moved their Feb. 28 home game against the Toronto Maple Leafs from the Barclays Center to Nassau Coliseum.
Of course, this isn't just any ordinary game. It will mark John Tavares' return to his old stomping grounds after the star center left the Islanders in free agency in July.
The switch brings the total number of Islanders home games at Nassau Coliseum this season to 21. The team is splitting time between Barclays and Nassau while it builds a new 18,000-seat arena at Belmont Park. That facility will not open until the 2021-22 season at the earliest.
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The Islanders selected Tavares with the first overall pick in the 2009 draft. He eventually became the face of the franchise, being selected to five All-Star games. The center was the biggest name on the free agent market this past summer. Instead of re-signing with the Isles, the Toronto native chose to sign a seven-year contract worth $11 million annually with the Maple Leafs, the team he grew up rooting for.
Tavares and Toronto will also play the Islanders at Nassau Coliseum on April 1. Toronto will host the Islanders on Dec. 29.