The New York Islanders are Long Island's only professional ice hockey team and just one of three Nation Hockey League (NHL) franchises in the New York City metropolitan area. The team was founded in 1972 as a way of keeping rival World Hockey association out of Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

The Coliseum had been their home ever since, but following the failure of the Lighthouse Project–a development plan meant to renovate the Coliseum and turn the surrounding property into a modern suburban area–the team chose to not remain in Nassau County. The team moved to Brooklyn's Barclays Center before the 2015-16 season.

Seven players of the NY Islanders have been inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, as has their longtime coach, Al Arbour, who won 740 games during his career. Between 1980 and 1983 the Islanders won four consecutive Stanley Cup championships.