Chicago Blackhawks forward Connor Bedard didn't make Team Canada. Jeff Blashill had something to say.
On Thursday, the Chicago Blackhawks had a morning skate at the United Center ahead of their game against the Dallas Stars. After the skate, Jeff Blashill spoke to the media.
Of course, one of the biggest topics in the hockey world right now is the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy. On New Year's Eve, Team Canada announced their roster, and Connor Bedard didn't make it.
Bedard, who is currently out with a shoulder injury, has blossomed into a superstar this season. In 31 games played, he has scored 19 goals and recorded 25 assists for a total of 44 points.
When he went down, he was a top-five NHL scorer. Bedard, despite his elite play, was a long shot to make his team for several reasons, but his injury provided them with the perfect excuse.
When asked about the Olympic snub, his NHL head coach did not hold back his opinion as to why he was left off the roster:
"I don't think the rest of the league knows how good of a two-way, winning hockey player Connor has become. I don't think they have a full understanding of how good a winning hockey player he is today."
Blashill also alluded to defensive metrics and how now all of them show how good a winner a player actually is. Bedard's play in his own end has certainly improved. He talked about how poorly the Blackhawks have played since Bedard went down.
“The reason why I know he's a big-time winning hockey player: when he was in our lineup, we were one point out of the Wild Card. Since then, we're 1-6-1. That's the impact he's had. You don't have that impact if you're just a point-getter. You only have that impact if you're a true two-way kind of winning player, and that's what he's become."
Of course, Bedard could still be named as an injury replacement, but Blashill believes that the league outside of those who watch Bedard every night doesn't have a grasp on the impact he makes. There are a lot of statistics that support his claim.
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