Islanders Struck By Injury Bug Again, Palmieri to Miss Rest of the Season With Torn ACL

For the third time over the last few weeks, the Islanders got some more unfortunate injury news today.  Forward, Kyle Palmieri will miss the rest of the season with a torn ACL suffered in the game yesterday versus the Flyers.  Even with what must've been a horribly painful injury, Palmieri had the presence of mind to steal the puck on his way off the ice yesterday and set up the Islanders first goal of the afternoon.  Palmieri was in the first year of a 2 year $9,500,000 he signed this past summer.

After dealing with some injuries when he first arrived with the Islanders, Palmieri had become the Islanders iron man in recent seasons playing over 200 straight games before yesterdays injury.  Palmieri was off to a solid start this season with 18 points in 25 games, so his production will be sorely missed in the lineup.  

This injury comes after the Islanders announced that Alex Romanov will miss the rest of the regular season after the dirty hit he took by Mikko Rantanen when the Islanders played Dallas during the last road trip.  Then, last week, the Islanders announced JG Pageau is week to week with an upper body injury.  Though they seem to be optimistic that he will be back playing again by Christmas.

After being pretty healthy since the start of the season, this will be a tough stretch for the Islanders and we will see some of what they are made of.

Romanov Injured After Dirty Hit By Rantanen

On Tuesday, the Islanders defeated the Stars by a score of 3-2.  The main story that will no doubt come out of this game though will be the injury to Alexander Romanov and the dirty hit by Mikko Rantanen that caused the injury. 

Coming to play the puck behind the net, Romanov had his back to the rest of the ice when he was violently pushed in the back by Rantanen sending him violently into the boards what looked like face first.  There have been some, including Dallas coach Glen Gulutzan that have tried to make the argument that Rantanen making contact with Mayfield threw him off balance thus excusing him for his conduct.

I am sorry but that is just a brainless excuse by a coach trying to excuse is star players horrible actions.  Even if Gulutzan is right and that is what happened, how does fully extending your arms through the back of the guy in front of you help with that?

Patrick Roy was visibly pissed off on the bench following the hit.  He exchanged some words with Rantanen as he went down the tunnel as well as Stars assistant coach Alain Nasreddine after Rantanen went to the locker room.  This was by far the angriest and most animated we have seen Roy since he took over as coach for the Islanders.

If Rantanen doesn't get at least a few games for this hit I will be very surprised!

As of post game, the only update on Romanov was that he didn't have to go to the hospital which is a very good sign!  Sending thoughts and well wishes to him as he begins his healing process from the injuries sustained on the play.

The Emergence of Emil Heineman

Prior to this season, Emil Heineman had played in 66 games in his NHL career, all with the Montreal Canadiens.  He managed to put up 18 points over the course of those 66 games.

Over the summer, the Islanders traded Noah Dobson to Montreal on draft day.  The prime pieces of the deal were two first round picks which the Islanders used that night on some terrific prospects.  The third piece that some people maybe didn't pay attention to was forward Emil Heineman.

To say Heineman has been a great surprise early this season would be an understatement.  Over just 20 games, Heineman already has 14 points, including 9 goals which is one behind his career high.  He also has points in 4 straight games, including 3 goals.  On top of that, Heineman has developed great chemistry almost from the start of camp with Bo Horvat.

It definitely caught my attention in camp when Patrick Roy said in camp that Heineman was going to get a top 6 role to begin the season.  After the trade I had figured Heineman to be a bottom 6 player, boy was I wrong.  He does have some physical elements and tenacity that you may more often find in a bottom 6 player but hes been able to mesh that well with his other skills and its been a treat to watch him play thus far this season.

Islanders Hire Siana Sylvester As Mental Health Consultant

According to Andrew Gross from Newsday, the Islanders have hired Siana Sylvester as the teams mental health consultant.  In this role she will work with players, coaches and management for both the Islanders and the Bridgeport Islanders.  In addition to that she will also work with the organizations prospects.

Before joining the Islanders Sylvester was with the company Higher Echelon, Inc. for 7 years.  In her most recent role there she was the Director of Organizational and mental performance.  For more information about the newest member of the Islanders organization, check out the article on the teams website here.

LI Native Marshall Warren Called up, Will Play Tomorrow In Philly

Last night, a couple call ups were announced including defenseman Marshall Warren from Bridgeport.  Warren is an LI Native from Laurel Hollow.

Warren, originally a 6th round pick of the Wild in 2019 is in the second year of a 2 year contract with the Islanders.  He first made an impression with a pre season goal which can be seen here.

Once the season started Warren wasted no time in producing and was named the AHL player of the week for the first week of the regular season registering 5 points in 4 games.  This comes after Warren had 38 points in 53 games for a bad Bridgeport team last year.  

According to the great Eric Hornick, the Islanders long time statistician, Warren will become the first person from Nassau County to ever suit up for the Islanders.  For more on Warren check out this highlight video of him from his draft year.

I am excited to see what we get from him!

Two Weeks in, Where Are We?

The Islanders 2025-2026 season got underway two weeks ago yesterday.  Today were going to go through some of the ups and downs and surprises of the season so far.

To start with, the Islanders opened their season on October 9th versus Pittsburgh, the much anticipated NHL debut for #1 overall pick Matthew Schaefer.  Save for a time in the third period it was a solid game that unfortunately ended up in a loss for the Isles.  You noticed a definite change from last year in the way they played with speed off the rush and of course Schaefer already made an impression recording an assist in his first game.

Then started a home stand with the home opener, the Columbus Day Matinee vs Winnipeg & Thursday night vs the Oilers.  Thus far this season, the home opener and the game vs Winnipeg are the two worst games the team has played.  The home opener until the third period was completely lifeless was just a bad game.  The highlight of that night was of course Matthew Schaefers first NHL goal.  The Winnipeg game, we just didnt seem to belong on the ice with them that afternoon.  One common theme from both games was that our play in our own zone left a lot to be desired and started to be akin to the one year Doug Weight coached us where defense was optional.

Then everything started turning around and the winning streak began.  Thursday night vs Edmonton with David Rittich in net.  With the potency of the Oilers offense and how we had looked in our own zone coming into the game it was kind of bleak.  However, after looking to put it frankly, pretty bad in pre season Rittich looked like a different guy that night.  Horvat and Barzal broke through and got on the score sheet, Horvat in a big way with the hat-trick and they cracked through and got their first win of the season.  

The gutsy Saturday win in Ottawa, wasn't pretty but not all wins will be works of art.  The late goal by Lee showed a lot of tenacity.  As well as the team itself never giving up.  

Tuesday vs San Jose was another solid game, a game with multiple power play goals mind you.  That is not something we have been able to say a lot in recent years.  This was also the night of Matthew Schaefers first NHL multi point game.

Then comes last night, our 4th win in a row and by far the best game we have played all season.  Play in our own zone was sound, even D'Angelo who had struggled with turnovers in recent games.  Rittich came up big again and had a terrific start.  Something encouraging from this game was that the team was able to put up 7 goals and got 0 points from rookie sensation Matthew Schaefer.  It was Schaefers first game in his young career without recording a point.  

Schaefer has been a revelation!  I don't think anyone expected him to be as good, comfortable and just seemingly like a natural fit so early in his NHL career at such a young age.  Can't say it enough, but hes a special talent like we haven't had around here possibly ever.  With his skill level that will no doubt keep improving over the years plus his personality, he could be a NY superstar.

Off the ice, we touched on it the other day but was the big surprise of replacing long time goalie coach Piero Greco after the win versus the Sharks on Tuesday.  For more on this can check out our post about it here.

All in all, we have experienced the ups and downs of an NHL season.  Through 3 games, the Islanders looked like they would be competing for one of the top spots in the draft come next June.  Then came the current 4 game winning streak and that all changed. 

Lets see what the next couple weeks have in store.

Isles Place Gatcomb On Waivers

Earlier today, it was announced that the Islanders placed forward Marc Gatcomb on waivers.

Gatcomb who came out of nowhere last season earned himself a one year extension worth 900k over the summer.  In 39 games last season, Gatcomb had 9 points but whats more is he didn't seem out of place at this level.  Unfortunately for him, with all of our roster moves over the summer he lost his lineup spot and had only played in one game so far this season.

According to Stefan Rosner from thehockeynews, the likely reason the Islanders waived Gatcomb at this time is to create a roster spot and cap space to call up another defenseman.  Alexander Romanov is likely to be out til at least next week, Rosner reported earlier in the day on his other publication, theelmonters.

Islanders Fire Long Time Goalie Coach Greco, Promote Naumovs From Bridgeport

According to Elliotte Friedman, following their 4-3 win vs the Sharks last night, the Islanders made a change at goalie coach, firing long time coach Piero Greco and promoting Sergejs Naumovs from Bridgeport.

Greco had been part of the Islanders since July of 2018.  Under his tenure, along for a lot of it with Mitch Korn the Islanders saw some tremendous things in net, most notably the resurrecting of both Robin Lehner and Semyon Varlamov.  They deserve a lot of praise for their huge part of the teams that went to back to back eastern conference finals, the most success the organization has had in 40+ years.

Unfortunately, since Trotz & Mitch Korn left it has gone down hill.  Sorokin has gone from statistically one of the top goalies in the league to painfully mediocre in recent seasons.  While this change kind of came out of nowhere it shouldn't really come as a surprise given the importance of Sorokin to this organization.

Naumovs coached Sorokin in his final two years in the KHL before he joined the Islanders.  Given the experience they have together, hopefully he is able to light a fire under him and find some faults in his game to help Sorokin return to the player we saw in his first couple years here.

Projections: Goalies

Today, we move on to the netminders:

1) Ilya Sorokin

30 wins

20 loses 

5 OTL

2.60 GAA 

.912 save %

Sorokin is probably the most important guy on the Islanders.  His first 3 seasons with the Islanders were nothing short of extraordinary!  However, his last two he has come back to earth some and been more human.  If the Islanders want to get where they want to be, they need him to return to the play we saw in the first three years and less of the last two.  Can he do it?  Only time will tell.

2) David Rittich

12 wins

8 loses

5 OTL

2.70 GAA

.907 save %

Rittich is a very serviceable back up and should be a great improvement over Marcus Hogberg from last season.  

An obvious omission here is Semyon Varlamov.  Unfortunately for Varlamov, I don't think we will see him in an Islanders sweater again due to injury.  Signing Rittich was very smart giving us insurance for that.  Varlamov has been a terrific Islander and I wish him nothing but the best in his recoveries.

Bailey Clutterbuck To Host Alternate Style Broadcasts This Season

Today, the Islanders announced that former teammates Josh Bailey and Cal Clutterbuck will be hosting an alternate style broadcast for select nationally televised Islanders games this season.  Inspired by the "Manning-Cast" Monday night football broadcasts, this is a great idea for the team to standout in a tremendously crowded sports market.  For more information, you can check out the article on the teams website here.

I have to say, seeing all these changes and creative new ideas from the Islanders is so refreshing as they move into the modern times and out of the stone age they were in under Lou.

Radio Broadcasts Are Back...Well Sorta

Earlier this summer, the Islanders made some not so good headlines when they announced that radio broadcasters Chris King & Greg Picker would not be returning for this upcoming season.  They announced that instead of having a standalone radio broadcast that the TV broadcast would be simulcast on the radio.

Before we continue, the dismissal of King & Picker was a tough pill to swallow for fans who have grown to really enjoy their broadcasts.  Pickers dad Mike Picker was a long time Islanders executive under Charles Wang.  Picker had been partnered with King since 2013 and had really grown into the role in that time and they made a terrific team.  

King had been part of Islanders radio broadcasts since all the way back in 1998.  I remember going to post game shows downstairs at the Coliseum give or take 15 years ago with Chris King & then partner Steve Mears.  Hes been apart of the fabric of the team for so long off the ice.  His enthusiastic calls and the passion he had for the team will be severely missed.

In a surprise, the Islanders announced earlier today that Bridgeport commentator and fill in TV commentator Alan Fuehring would have the radio job this upcoming season.  Well, except if he is filling in on TV, in that instance then the TV broadcast will be simulcast on radio.  Bridgeport will announce a replacement for Fuehring in the next few days, according to Neil Best from Newsday.

While Picker & King will be severely missed, I am glad the Islanders changed their stance on completely doing away with radio alone broadcasts.

Projections: Top 6 Defensemen

Today, we move on to the top 6 defenseman, again, in no particular order.

1) Alexander Romanov

6 goals

18 assists

24 points

The recipient of a new long term deal, Romanov really grew a lot last season.  I expect that to continue this year as his new contract starts as he further cements himself as a top pairing d-man not only for us but around the league.

2) Adam Pelech

2 goals

18 assists

20 points

The most important thing for Pelech this year is staying healthy.  Three seasons in a row now Pelech has dealt with major injuries that have caused him to miss a significant portion of the season.  After we drafted Schafer I saw some saying that Pelech could be a sort of mentor for him since they play the same side.  The way that will be most effective is if Pelech is able to stay healthy.

3) Tony Deangelo

10 goals

30 assists

40 points

A pleasant surprise last season, Deangelo really earned his extension in the 35 games he played here after we signed him.  With Dobson gone, there will be ample time on the power play available for him.  While his play in his own zone may leave some to be desired, I feel like these numbers will be well within reach for him.

4) Ryan Pulock

5 goals

20 assists

25 points

One of the biggest mysteries in recent years is the lack of offense in Pulocks game.  He showed a lot of it early in his career but then it just fell off a cliff.  With the offense falling off a cliff, being a shut down pair with Pelech carried him for a few years.  But as they have gotten older that has started to slide to.  Hopefully, one of those things is able to resurrect itself this year and by these projections im betting on the defensive play.

5) Scott Mayfield

3 goals

10 assists

13 points

It is no secret, I am not a Mayfield fan.  But more times then not he will be in there for us.  Hopefully, the change in play style will cause Mayfield to enter a time machine and become more effective.

6) Matthew Schafer

1 goal *

2 assists *

3 points *

*assuming he gets the 9 game try out and then goes back to Juniors.

It seems generally accepted that Schafer is likely to get a 9 game look for the Islanders to start the season.  I would love for him to impress enough to stay here the entire season.  If he does that he could turn into a real xfactor for us.  However, with him being so young, one of the youngest in the entire draft, I feel like going back to Juniors for a full season is more likely.

7) Ethan Bear

2 goals

6 assists

8 points

Assuming Schafer gets the 9 game look and then goes back to Juniors, I feel like Bear will be the guy who gets a lot of playing time.  

Projections: Bottom 6 Fowards

Today, I am going to move on to who I expect the bottom 6 forwards to be when camp breaks for the Islanders.  (in no particular order)

1) JG Pageau

13 goals

26 assists

39 points

Pageau has been a terrific Islander since being acquired by Lou at the deadline in 2020 right before Covid.  He is known more so for his faceoff and PK prowess then his offensive production but is still an extremely useful player.  His PK pairing with Simon Holmstrom is capable of some great things out on the ice.  If things don't go the Islanders way this season, I fully expect him to be moved at the trade deadline as he heads to free agency next summer.

2) Anthony Duclair

18 goals

16 assists

34 points

In what can be best described as a year to forget for Duclair hes looking for a big rebound in year 2 with the Islanders.  He has reportedly mended fences with Patrick Roy after a rocky ending to last season and if he stays healthy I feel like these numbers are well within reach for him.

3) Maxim Shabanov

20 goals

25 assists

45 points

If his game is able to translate from Russia, Shabanov could be a sneaky great pick up for the Islanders.  I feel like the Islanders abundant amount of Russian players could help comfort him as he arrives here which could be beneficial.  With his natural skill plus getting time on the power play I feel like these numbers are realistic for him.

4) Maxim Tsplakov

12 goals 

27 assists

39 points

I would love to see Tsyplakov continue to grow his game this year after an up and down season last year.  A big flaw for him last season was lack of discipline/hockey sense.  With a season under his belt now in North America hopefully we see strides in that area this season.

5) Casey Cizikas

9 goals

11 assists

20 points

Casey has long been part of the heartbeat of the Islanders.  With some new linemates this season and playing a new system it will be interesting to see how it impacts his production levels.

6) Emil Heineman

14 goals

10 assists

24 points

Acquired in the Dobson trade back in June, Heineman will be an interesting guy to watch this year.  Its been reported that the Islanders were adamant about him being included in the Dobson deal so obviously they saw a lot of potential in him.  Seeing how he gels with the guys here will definitely be something to watch as the season rolls on.

Coming next week: Top 6 Defensemen

Projections: Top 6 Forwards

As the season gets closer I am going to start doing some projections for the roster I expect to break training camp for the Islanders.  Today I am going to start with top 6 forwards (in no particular order):

1) Bo Horvat

33 goals

32 assists

65 points

Anyone that watches the Islanders know if they want to have success this season, Horvat needs to be one of the principle guys producing on offense.  Given his salary I would like to see a higher level production out of him but when looking at his career progression this would be a very solid season for him.

2) Mathew Barzal

18 goals

42 assists

60 points

This is of course assuming Barzal can stay healthy.  Two of the last three seasons Barzal has dealt with serious injuries including last season missing over half the season.  With him returning to center this year full time after transitioning to wing once we acquired Horvat it will be interesting to see what that does to his production and overall level of play.

3) Jonathan Drouin

12 goals

33 assists

45 points

The surprise move of the off season, I don't think anyone saw us signing Drouin as a free agent.  Much like Barzal, these stats are assuming hes able to stay healthy because like Barzal he has dealt with injury issues in recent years.  However he has always had a lot of skill and played with pace which is something Patrick Roy & new man in charge Mathieu Darche wanted to emphasize.  Plus he has some history with our announce team already as well.

4) Anders Lee

25 goals

21 assists

46 points

Lee had a tremendous season last year, however, another year older I have skepticism that he will be able to once again reach those numbers.  However, this would still be a solid season in perhaps his last as an Islander as he is set to become a free agent next summer.

5) Kyle Palmieri

23 goals

21 assists

44 points

I am not going to lie, I was disappointed we kept Palmieri.  I think Lou made a mistake not trading him at the deadline last season.  He's been a steady Islander for a few years now after dealing with some injury issues when he first arrived.  However, he is not getting any younger and I thought it was time to free that spot in the lineup up as we transition from the bubble teams to a newer core.

6) Simon Holmstrom

25 goals

25 assists

50 points

Nobody burst on the scene last season more then Simon Holmstrom.  Holmstrom set a career high in goals and assists last season.  Additionally, made a very formidable PK pair with JG Pageau.  I expect Holmstrom to take another step forward this season and build on last years success.

Islanders Sign 2nd Round Pick Prokhorov To 3 Year ELC

The Islanders announced today that they signed 2025 2nd round pick Daniil Prokhorov to a 3 year entry level contract.

In 43 games last year in the MHL in Russia, Prokhorov had 20 goals and 7 assists.  But not only that, he was never afraid to use his body to gain an advantage over the opposition.  As we know, being comfortable doing that isn't always the case for bigger players, see Pierre Engvall.

Prokhorov was one of the standouts at this past July's prospect camp not just because of his size 6'6 but his fun personality.  Most notably, this includes starting chants with fans after coming off the ice.   

It should be fun to see how his game translates now that he will be coming to play in North America and how his career progresses.

Islanders Announce Bobbleheads To Return This Season Part of Theme Nights

Earlier today on X formerly known as Twitter, the Islanders announced there will be 2 bobbleheads nights this season part of their theme nights.  Exactly who the bobbleheads will be will be announced on Monday.  My guess is its Barzal & Horvat based off how they look in the photo the Islanders posted.

Bobbleheads of current players had become a thing of the past under prior head honcho Lou Lamoriello.  From what I understood, Lamoriello felt as though the focus should always be on the team rather then individual players.  That is why we never saw bobblehead nights under his regime because the focus would be on the guy who had the bobblehead instead of the team.  

Islanders Sign Schaefer to 3 Year Entry Level Contract

Prior to throwing out the ceremonial first pitch at the New York Mets game tonight, it was announced that the Islanders had signed 2025 1st overall pick Matthew Schaefer to a 3 year entry level contract.

It will be interesting to see Schaefers play once training camp rolls around and see if it earns a 9 game look to start the season or if they deem another year in Juniors would be for the best.

Matthew Schafer to Throw Out First Pitch at New York Mets Game

It was announced this morning that Islanders 2025 first overall pick Matthew Schafer would be throwing out the ceremonial first pitch before the New York Mets game tonight.

This was supposed to happen prior to the Mets game on July 2nd, but that game was PPD due to rain.

It will be great to see Schafer out there in the spot light.  Additionally, I am sure Mets sideline reporter Steve Gelbs will interview him during the game and if you saw Schaffers appearance on Spittin Chiclets you know how good he is in those spots.

Isles Add Jason Berger As Head Equipment Manager

According to Stefen Rosner from The Hockey News, over the weekend, the Islanders added Jason Berger as the teams new head equipment manager.  Berger had previously been assistant equipment manager with new head honcho Mathieu Darches old organization, the Tampa Bay Lightning for the past 8 seasons.

Berger is replacing Leni DiCostanzo in this role.  DiCostanzo had been with the Islanders organization since 2009.  He worked his way up through Bridgeport before getting a role on the NHL staff in 2018.  DiCostanzo was let go by former Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello.  The reason for the dismissal is unclear, according to The Hockey News.

Berger has extensive experience in the hockey dating back before his time with Tampa having gotten his start with the Providence Bruins in the 2006/2007 season. 

While this isn't a role that the average fan may give much thought to as seasons progress, its good to see Darche continue to put his stamp on the organization. 

Islanders Sign Tsyplakov To 2 Year Deal Avoiding Arbitration

Earlier today, it was announced that the Islanders signed forward Maxim Tsyplakov to a 2 year deal worth 4.5 million.  Tsyplakov was set to go to arbitration coming up in the next week or two.

Tsyplakov as a rookie last year had 10 goals and 35 points last season.  He fit in pretty well on the 3rd line but wasn't without faults.  This seems like a pretty fair contract and good work by Mathieu Darche.  Watching Tysplakov's growth will be an interesting element to this upcoming season.

With Tysplakov signed, this will pretty much be the end of the Islanders work this off season barring some Bridgeport depth.  As we head into training camp how they fit all the forwards will no doubt be one of the big story lines to follow.  The Islanders currently have 16 forwards signed for 12 spots which could lead to some familiar faces seeing reduced roles or even extensive time in the press box.

7:00 Home Starts Have Returned

Earlier today, the Islanders schedule for 2025/2026 NHL season was released.  You can view the full schedule here.  Something notable on the schedule is that home games for the most part will be starting at 7:00 this season.  Since moving to UBS Arena for the 2021/2022 season, home games primarily started at 7:30.

Other notable items on the schedule include 14 games that start at a time other then 7:00.  Additionally, 10 of the Islanders final 12 games will be at home this season.  If they are in the thick of a playoff race this could be a big advantage for them. 

Islanders Sign Eklund To 3 Year Entry Level Contract

Today, the Islanders announced they have signed forward Victor Eklund to a 3 years entry level contract. 

The Islanders selected Eklund with the 16th overall pick in the draft last month.  That pick was of course part of the package the Islanders acquired from Montreal in exchange for Noah Dobson on draft day.

As I said in my earlier post today, Mathieu Darche has a clear plan for the Islanders going forward.  He hasn't only executed that through his moves for the NHL team but through his picks at the draft as well.  Eklund is a player that plays with tempo but is also highly skilled and tenacious which is the exact type of player head coach Patrick Roy likes.

While I don't expect him in the NHL anytime soon, I am definitely excited to see his development as he works toward the NHL in a few years.  

We are Back!!

This title has a double meaning as this is the first post here in over 9 years, so we are back posting again.  On top of that though, our New York Islanders are back as well.  

What I mean by that is for the last several years the Islanders have been spinning the wheels of perpetual mediocrity under GM & President of Hockey Ops Lou Lamoriello.  However, that all changed on April 22nd, just a few weeks after the regular season ended when the Islanders announced Lamoriello would not be returning in his positions.  After an extensive search, the Islanders landed on Tampa Bay Lightning executive Mathieu Darche to replace Lamoriello.

The biggest change in the organization since Darche took over is that it now feels like it has a direction.  For the last few years under Lamoriello the team seemed rudderless just content spinning in place.  That is not the case anymore, Darche has a clear plan and has been executing it very well since taking over.  The type of players he has brought in align well with the system Patrick Roy wants to implement which we learned was a bone of contention last season between Roy & Lamoriello.  

Another big change was the appearance of #1 overall pick Matthew Schaffer on the Spittin Chiclets podcast last week on Youtube.  Under Lamoriello, players were not allowed to make appearances like that.  This appearance further showed Schaffers personality and his quick witted nature creating a bigger connection to fans.  

Now I am not saying I expect the Islanders to contend for the Stanley Cup next year.  That is unrealistic!  However, for the first time in a while there is a light at the end of the tunnel, we know where management wants to go and how they intend on getting there.  If early returns on Darches tenure are any indication, we should have a fun entertaining team to watch next season.