The first 3 seasons of the show were in the 80s. With season 4 (or The New Generation) it jump to 2002 so it can also pretty much work as a new start for the show. You don't really need to have seen the 3 first seasons altough it is preferable of course. But they introduce every characters and the links they have with each others nicely.
Overall i think the arc they made for this season (the then glorious National now being the worst team of the league due to various problems) worked very well.
The only part wich i was not as much a fan was when it comes to the character of Jessica Lambert, Pierre's oldest daughter. She's supose to be insuferable so i guess the actress did a great job, and the arc she goes trough is indeed something that can very well happen in real life, its just personally she was getting on my nerve and i couldn't wait that it goes back to stuff around the Team and hockey.
Otherwise everything was pretty great about this season.
