The Islanders were already in New York, so they aren't changing Countries.
All the Sports News Outlets think it's a big deal because they think they're going to get the same reaction as the Nets.
People aren't going to give a shit if there is no NHL this season, and if there is no NHL this season, it's going to find itself at the very bottom of sports popularity in the United States and it will never recover here. It took it this long to get popular since the last lockout. With a second full-season lockout looming, you might as well kill it here.