Right on, Frenchy. The list of things that are good the last 2 games is pretty long but big picture was the young D core numbering 6-7 held their own, didn’t cave, held their structure well enough against some NHLers and ads you said, showed their ready to compete. ….. It’ll get ugly often enough this season with so many young Dmen, blue chippers or not, but it seems they might be close enough in their development to find enough consistency to play some solid NHL hockey while not being close to finished products or near their ceiling.

This team will go as Bedard does. He gets the most important minutes so he’s the focus especially when he’s still so young and flawed. The kid had a 52% CF, 9-3 SOG advantage and a 4-3 HDCF%. The fancies for Bedard are horrific as an NHLer. Those fancies he put up last game show a responsible NHL player. …….. I understand that info ain’t click bait but man, it should be screamed from the mountain tops.

Bedard’s overwhelming weaknesses, deal breakers to win a cup for some, are now being seen by new eyes. Water will find its level with Bedard eventually, like all players, but if they/Blashill can find a way for the kid to be close to respectable on the other side of the puck you can win with the uber talented kid.

Those fancies supported the eye test and the kid looked good. Going by his stride and compete he looked comfortable in the system, playing not thinking, and that’s franchise changing. ……….

I’d also add these last two solid games come after looking really bad vs Detroit. You can read a lot into that and most of that is good. … Can’t wait to see more.