Mike and Dan reconvene after some family time to talk about the Islanders third jersey design contest and an article at The Athletic.
After 80,000 submissions, a fan-designed jersey has been chosen for the Islanders to wear in the 2027-28 season. The contest was the brainchild of the Islanders Lord Business himself, Kelly Cheeseman, who can pat himself on the back for a job well done. But we expected to see a little more creativity or “funk” in the final choices, not hear more about how the 54-year-old NHL team is a “Challenger Brand.” The final choice was fine but how we got there raised some questions that may never be fully answered.
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In the second half, we discuss The Athletic’s NHL front-office confidence rankings for 2026 and the Islanders’ middling place that shows the disconnect between how the public sees the roster and how fans do. Usually, it was non-Islanders fans thinking too little of them and fans having belief. Now, it’s flipped, and the NHL at large sees an okay team and fans see a directionless disaster. It’s a new dynamic that should raise some eyebrows in the front office and make them see how the customers are looking at their product.
Thanks for listening and sticking with us all off season. Our first official episode of the season will release on Monday, Sept. 21, so we’ve got about a month to go before we get the machine rolling again.
REFERENCES:
The (in)famous final eight jersey choices. Hey, who let the Oilers in here?
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A pretty clear picture of a fanbase’s feelings. Also, LOL Rangers.
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PLUGS!
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The Pinot Project has a Rosé, a Pinot Grigio and a Wine Enthusiast Best Buy Pinot Noir, all under $15 a bottle. Available at local wine stores and UBS Arena.
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