One of the fun things about a developmental year—isn’t it weird to remember that’s what this is?—is watching each little step of progress that the rookies make. Remember Connor Brown being the first internal promotion up the lineup, after starting the year with Matt Martin and Peter Holland? Remember the Nylander-at-4C remedial class Mike Babcock taught for a week or so? Watching Kasperi Kapanen light up the Marlies until he finally earned a call-up, which has paid off in dramatic fashion? This has been one hell of a year.
I don’t know who’ll be the hero tonight. It’s the playoffs, it’s one game, it could go any of a hundred ways.