It's been a whirlwind for Bedard, NHL's top draft pick of 2023 as the season opened. Let's look at the stats, especially on the prized rookie's shooting. Story with videos.
During Connor Bedard's debut in the NHL over the past few weeks, reporters have fired off questions at the NHL's top draft pick of 2023 almost every day. The 18-year-old Chicago Blackhawks rookie has fielded them consistently well, even though many questions were the same, over and over.
All the while Bedard was firing off shots on the ice. Like the media frenzy over hockey's heralded "next generational talent," that was anticipated from a kid billed as a crafty sniper with a wicked release and accuracy.
In Chicago's first four games, the Bedard had 20 shots on goal and attempted 16 others that were blocked, hit the post/crossbar or went wide. Bedard had just one goal — a wrap-around against reigning Vezina Trophy winner Linus Ullmark in Boston — and two assists in the span, but he was getting prime chances and creating others.
Then it all-but stopped, beginning in a 4-0 loss in Denver when the Avalanche overwhelmed the Blackhawks with speed for almost 60 minutes.
Bedard wasn't alone in not having any shots or shot attempts against Colorado. The Avs are a tip-top team Chicago veteran Corey Perry calls a "different animal" because Colorado players seem to skate and move the puck at an unequalled pace.
Bedard gets wrestled to the ice in practice Thursday in the following video.
But in Chicago's last three games, all losses, Bedard has only two shots and 10 attempts. He added his first goal at home 90 seconds into a 5-3 loss to Vegas on Saturday, but that's it points-wise.
Bedard's scoring line after seven games is two goals, two assists, four-points.
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Asterisk No. 1: Bedard rifled a shot past Jeremy Swayman in the first period against against the Bruins at the United Center on Tuesday for an apparent power-play goal and 1-0 lead. But the score was erased after a video review showed Andreas Athanasiou entered the Boston zone offside.
Asterisk No. 2: Taylor Hall, acquired to work with Bedard, has been hampered by a shoulder injury an is now on injured reserve.
Asterisk No. 3: Maybe the biggest, the Blackhawks haven't had the puck much as a group over the past week. See coach Luke Richardson in the video below.
I think we're playing too much defense as a team," Richardson said. "So that just makes it (harder on) the guys that are more used to having more offensive opportunities."
So it's time for Bedard — and his teammates — to get grittier, get the puck back and get greasy.
"Connor is the same as anybody," Richardson added. "We've got to find a way to get shots off a little quicker. And even if it's like through a defenseman's legs and you go try to jump around and get a rebound. Sometime that just snaps you out of things as well."