*expletives ahead*

Well fuck.

Get the elephant in the room out early. Tavares. Fuck. Fuck a duck.

Now that's out of the way, I'm going to offer what little I can to the situation the Islanders find themselves in.

First of all, full disclosure, I am still fairly new to the game, I don't know the full contract nuances etc, so I speak from my gut feeling. Hockey in the the UK is fairly non existent, football (sorry, soccer) takes precedent here. Side note, so fucking happy that Liam Kirk, an actual English born and trained player got drafted, hoping it starts to spark an interest in the sport over here, but I digress, I had a few beers.

I am devastated about the big news, means one of my two Islanders jerseys is unwearable now. Leaves me with just the original black alternate. Supply is scarce this side of the pond.

But yet.

I still want to have faith in Lou and Trotz. I NEED to have faith in them. I haven't been there for the same amount of years as some of you. In my 27 years on this rock, I've followed the Isles for maybe 5.

I'll try to keep it to the point. The recent run of signings doesn't fill me with much hope. At the time of writing, Matt Martin is the latest to (re)join. I loved Matty before he was a Leaf, so despite the cap hit, I'm glad to see him back, it's the other moves I fear. I am holding out that this is an elaborate plan.

I've read comments on here. I am scared. But all I have is faith that somehow we will see through this. Lou must have a master plan, and maybe we will be through this sooner than we think. I'm praying to Bossy for the stars to align, the hockey gods to smile upon us and grant us Karlsson along with the goalie and another top level D.

Again, its a hope.

But it's all I have.

It's all we have.