Connor Bedard again with linemates Tyler Johnson and Ryan Donato in drills. New winger Taylor Hall missed second straight day.
Connor Bedard skated with linemates Tyler Johnson and Ryan Donato in drills for a second straight day at Chicago Blackhawks training camp on Friday.
Plenty impressed Johnson and Donato from the brief sampling of Bedard's skills, especially his wicked, accurate shot.
"Obviously he's special special talent," said the 27-year-old Donato, who signed as a free agent from Seattle over the summer. "His shot is pretty incredible.
"His hands and his playmaking ability, too. He's catching some guys off guard with how quickly he can can make a read."
Johnson said he recalled being able to play with Martin St. Louis, now the Montréal Canadiens coach, when he broke into the NHL with Tampa Bay in 2012-13.
"He kind of gave me a few pointers here and there," Johnson said. "If I'm able to do that for (Bedard), that's great. He's obviously a heckuva player already."
Winger Taylor Hall, acquired from Boston over the summer, sat out again with a lower-body injury. Coach Luke Richardson said he didn't think the 2018 Hart Trophy winner had a serious condition, but wasn't sure when Hall would skate. See video above.
Hall was at Chicago's "content day" on Wednesday for photos and videos. The 31-year-old forward could end up on a line with Bedard after clicking with 2017 first-overall draft pick Nico Hischier in New Jersey for several seasons.
Former Blackhawks star Marian Hossa joined coaches and front office staff to watch training camp on Friday. The Hall-of-Fame forward's arrival was no surprise after X/Twitter posts.
The Blackhawks will be back on the ice at the Fifth Third Arena on Saturday, starting at 10 a.m. Tickets are free to fans, subject to availability. A sign in front of the facility said it was at capacity on Friday, although there seemed to be space in the bleachers.
Bedard did share he's learning to cook, with FaceTime tips from his mom. It sounds like the 18-year-old's moves on the ice are way better than in the kitchen at this point. See the video clip at the bottom.