In all fairness, the 18-year-old Chicago forward wouldn't assign himself a letter grade for his first NHL season when asked. Bedard, the NHL's top draft pick of 2023, did say he's going to get better.

Connor Bedard has received praise from Chicago Blackhawks management and teammates on how he performed and carried himself in his 2023-24 rookie season.

But the 18-year-old Bedard is harder on himself, even if he led NHL first-year players with 22 goals and 61 points in 68 games. 

When asked by reporters to assign a letter grade to his season, Bedard politely shied away. Then he said he still had a lot to work on.

"I don't know. It's hard to give a specific letter grade, but there's pros and cons overall," Bedard said. "I'm not happy with it. Really, I mean if you think you're too happy about it, then maybe it's something you gotta look at.

"I think that gives you the opportunity to get better and grow, and come into the next year hungry," he added. "We're all going to be super-motivated coming into next year with a chip on our shoulder with the kinds of things we went through this year, and I think that's going to be a positive for us.

"It's no secret we had a frustrating year." See Bedard in the following video.

Rough Season For Chicago

Depleted by injuries, an already thin Chicago squad limped in next-to-last in the NHL at 23-53-6 and 52 points. The Original Six team's .315 winning/possible points percentage was seventh lowest in its 98-year history and worst since 1954-55.

Bedard had his high points, however. That included a two-goal, two assist effort in a 5-3 win at Tampa Bay on Nov. 9. He posted a season-high five points (one goal, four assists) in a 7-2 takedown of Anaheim on March 12.

For pure drama, Bedard scored both goals against Vezina Trophy frontrunner Connor Hellebuyck in a 2-1 home win over Winnipeg on Dec. 27. Bedard's overtime game-winner had a teenage girl in the packed United Center in tears.

In all, the rookie had 12 multipoint games. Had Bedard not missed 14  with a broken jaw, the North Vancouver native was on past for 73 points in a full season. He led all rookies with 206 shots on goal.

There Were Minuses...

Bedard, however, finished minus-44, tied with teammate Philipp Kurashev for second-worst in the NHL

"I know what I need to get better over the summer," Bedard said. "It's a long summer, which sucks. We want to be playing more hockey."

Bedard will play for Canada at the IIHF World Championship in Prague in May. He'll be skating with elite-level pals — WHL caliber or better players — at home in the Vancouver area in private ice rentals.  

Like all NHL players, Bedard will be following an off-ice training regimen under his team's guidance. Throw in some roller hockey games and shinny with his "hockey-homies" for good measure.

"Some things are harder to work on in the summer, D-Zone stuff," Bedard said. "But obviously I want to get faster in the gym. More explosive probably and a little stronger for puck battles and net front and stuff like that."

On the ice, Bedard will focus on gaining a bit of speed. He knows he's quick, but still seems be in awe of the pure speed of Edmonton's Connor McDavid and explosive acceleration of Colorado's Nathan MacKinnon, two leaders in the Hart Trophy race.

"I'm just going to work on anything to create more offense," Bedard said. "At home we do a lot of 3-on-3 and 2-on-2 stuff and fun stuff like that. I think that's just the creativity of the game and having fun.

"Being on the ice is something that you're always going to get something positive out of it."  See video.