Business

Ex-Islander LaFontaine contacted by investors to buy team

One of the greatest New York Islanders is looking to make a comeback.

Pat LaFontaine has been contacted by some European investors about the possibility of buying the money-losing team and keeping it on Long Island, The Post has learned.

LaFontaine, who starred for the Islanders for eight seasons and is in the top six in goals and points in team history, is intrigued by the opportunity and may look to put together some sort of bid, sources said.

Pat Lafontaine (Getty Images)

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Islanders owner Charles Wang, who is seeking a new arena and has vowed not to play a single game at the aged Nassau Coliseum beyond the July 2015 end of his lease, has quietly let it be known that he is willing to sell the franchise if the price is right, sources close to the NHL said.

Unfortunately for LaFontaine, who still lives on Long Island and is active in charities there, that price is said to be a sky-high $300 million.

Wang bought the franchise in 2000 for $130 million. It’s now losing $40 million a year, sources said. Forbes last year valued the Islanders at $149 million.

Wang’s efforts at getting a publicly financed, $400 million arena built have been turned aside by taxpayers. Nassau County’s latest effort at keeping the team has three builders vying to be named the lead developers of the arena site.

Fans fear Wang, if he can’t reach a deal with the developers, will move the team to richer pastures — possibly to Canada.

The LaFontaine-centered effort will look to keep it in Nassau. That may be difficult without an arena.

There has been plenty of chatter that the Islanders could, beginning in the 2015-16 season, move to Brooklyn’s Barclays Center. Such a move would have to overcome some obvious hurdles — not the least of which is that Barclays seats only 14,500 for hockey, which would make it the smallest NHL rink.

While being the part of a group that buys the Islanders would be a long shot for the 47-year old LaFontaine, it would likely be extra sweet.

The NHL Hall of Famer had a falling out with Wang in 2006 after the owner fired Neil Smith as general manager six weeks after hiring him. LaFontaine, hired as an unpaid adviser the same day as Smith, resigned when Smith was axed.

The team has not invited LaFontaine back since and has not voted him into its hall of fame.

At the same time, former Islander greats Bob Nystrom and Denis Potvin are advising one Long Island developer on a plan to keep the team right where it is.

The two are working with Ed Blumenfeld, one of three finalists to become “master developer” of the Coliseum site, which would include a new arena.

Blumenfeld’s goal is either to persuade Wang to stay in the area and use the new arena or, if Wang moves the team out of the area, to persuade another owner to move a team to Nassau County.

The developer is interested, according to sources, in buying a hockey team but he does not want to buy the Islanders for $300 million.

The Islanders did not return requests for comment. LaFontaine and Blumenfeld declined to comment.