Just riffing because I can't sleep - defensively they are well structured and disciplined. They don't tend to get caught pinching from the blueline and almost all of their defensemen rotate to cover the net front, handing off from one side to the other without doing things like chasing behind the net/beneath the goal line or drifting out of position. The forwards come back to help defend. It isn't a lot of hope and prayer to get the puck up the ice, it's organized rushes and having multiple options. The lower lines GRIND and it pays off. Net front and net jam are normal, not something that one has to wait around and hope someone decides to do. Players play the body, not just one or two guys. Everyone seems willing and eager to take a chip off their check though some of them are very much more robust. Depth guys contribute, all three of the goalies have given them an opportunity to win, and they are quick almost to a man. Having most of their AHL vets be in that 25 to 26 year old area, some with a lot of very successful collegiate experience certainly helps. And they were wise enough to draw down Prow's usage to be the 7 instead of pushing him into the lineup every night. Their oldest regular d-man is Clague IIRC. But they move the puck well.
The PP has had some issues and they haven't had all of the consistency for their scoring line guys. Jobst went through a drought but has picked up lately.
Not to say everything is great, just it's a lot more fun to watch them and it's pretty clear they are getting good work out of their practice time. The special teams could be more consistent from home to away, but for the contributors to be so young is really cool. And when one guy falls back, someone else is there to push things forward. Ostlund started slow, then got hurt but Helenius was the opposite. Dunne's been a nice find - size, a little snarl and push back, but also a good AHL player. IIRC he's pacing to have his best 5-on-5 season in the AHL (his PP numbers are down because he's on the 2nd unit at times which doesn't get as much work behind Ostlund, Helenius, Jobst).
If the big club could do the sort of things they do in Rochester, I would be so much more pleased with watching their product.