2 games into the new season and the Maple Leafs already exciting the faithful in route to yet another spring of misery. 13 goals in 2 games to start the season plus B2B Matthews hat tricks is pretty wild regardless.
More importantly for me, really interesting year coming up for the Blackhawks. I think holistically, this is the first truly clean slate season, post-organizational shameless lack of morality. Rocky passing too young is truly sad, but there is nobody in a position of leadership who had a part of the awfulness of the Kyle Beach saga. Bowman and MacIssac are gone, same with McDonoguh, and now Rocky passed and Toews is no longer the final member of the team still on the roster.
Very young GM, newer coach, and now a super young core. Getting a generational talent at #1 obviously, but I love what Davidson did in the off-season. Hall next to Bedard after his resurgence in Boston is intriguing. LOVE getting Foligno for veteran leadership on playoff teams in 3 diff orgs. Despise Corey Perry, but that’s another wiley veteran former star for Bedard to learn from. And Donato was a savvy situational grab as well.
And given 2 paragraphs ago about a fresh start, Bedard couldn’t be a more perfect fit to face the franchise. Humble, wholesome, his early pressers have been a breath of fresh air. Hope he keeps some of it.
