The injury to Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard is bad for the game and worse for the team, but they're using this time as an opportunity for more younger players.
Let's get one thing out of the way right off the top. Nick Lardis is not Connor Bedard, and nobody is suggesting he is.
But did you know that in their final years of junior hockey, they each had the same number of goals?
Yeah, Lardis scored 71 as a 19-year-old with the OHL's Hamilton Bulldogs last season, the same number Bedard scored as an 18-year-old with the WHL's Regina Pats in 2022-23.
Which brings us to the Bedard injury, one that will keep him out of the lineup at least until the new year. It's terrible for Bedard and awful for the game, but it gives the Chicago Blackhawks a chance to see what a kid like Lardis can do as a rookie, playing on a line with fellow young bucks Oliver Moore and Ryan Greene.
It's all about opportunity for the Hawks. If they can keep above water and win some games, they'll gain confidence they can still hang in the NHL without their budding superstar. And when he comes back, they'll be all the better for it.
Speaking of young players, defensemen Artyom Levshunov will be a healthy scratch for the Blackhawks' game against the Toronto Maple Leafs Tuesday night after being late for a team meeting.
Watch the video column up above for the full story.
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