This is Twitter - where the hot takes are made up and sincerity doesn't matter - but I'm old now, and tired, and if I'm gonna spend my entire day wanting to puke and/or cry simultaneously, I want to say my piece.

Two years ago, the Islanders were left for dead by almost everyone, including me. Today, they're in a Game 7 with a chance to go to the ECF. How they got to that G7 has been disappointing but still... there is pressure on them to perform and expectations to win. A big change.

Regardless of what happens tonight, the Islanders are in the best shape they've been in for over half my life. They have a great coach, a good team with talent, an arena that's actually under construction and, for the first time in forever, a game plan. Another big change.

They have a thin farm system and some guys making way too much on the cap. So does 3/4 of the NHL. (The idea that every team should only have guys who are 27 or younger who make no money for no more than the next three seasons can only exist on Twitter). But... things change.

This isn't me giving up already or rationalizing. I'm just trying to take Barry Trotz's life advice and looking at the big picture. Everything is part of the journey. You can't change what's already happened. Just focus on what's in front of you.

They're never going to be popular or even respected but this is the best the Islanders have been in two, maybe three, generations. The pressure is excruciating. Winning is hard. The days of "just make the playoffs and see what happens" are over.

Anyway, that's it. I'm going to try to occupy my time today to take my mind off of tonight. If they win, great. If they lose, it'll suck, but it's part of the journey. This isn't my natural inclination, but things change.

/end