Strong and solid for his size, Bedard still is only 5-foot-10 and 185-pounds, and many of the "flies" in the NHL are bigger and nastier. Chicago building response to protect its young star and top players.
Little more than a week after returning from a broken jaw, Blackhawks rookie Connor Bedard had another run-in with a big, rugged defenseman in Chicago's 3-2 overtime loss to Winnipeg on Friday night.
Jets D-man Brenden Dillon laid a hard hit into Bedard along the right boards of the Winnipeg zone 6:17 into the third period. The puck had just slid past Bedard's skates when the 6-foot-4, 225-pound Dillon moved in against the 5-foot-10, 185-pound rookie — and lifted him off his feet and up on the glass with an upper-body impact.
A size mismatch, but a response.Bedard turned, saw Dillon coming and braced himself for the hit. Bedard scrapped back at Dillon, who yanked on Bedard's jersey.
Chicago forward Anthony Beauvillier, a speedy forward who's about the same size as Bedard, dashed to intervene and play was whistled dead. See the video in the link: https://x.com/CRoumeliotis/status/1761236503135687000?s=20
The "Game Within The Game"
Blackhawks de facto captain Nick Foligno made it a point to drill Dillon later at open ice in the Jets zone. Chicago players followed through with other hits on Winnipeg skaters, coach Luke Richardson pointed out.
"That's a good team effort there," said Richardson, a tough defenseman himself over 21 NHL seasons. "Our guys are just protecting a young guy out there and I think that was great.
"Just to let everyone know, 'Don't mess around or we'll come back on your best player.' That's the way the game within the game is played." See the following video.
Dillon, Bedard Large and Small Vancouver Products
The 33-year-old Dillon has 845 penalty minutes in 867 NHL games with four teams over 13 seasons. He wasn't drafted and signed with the Dallas Stars as a free agent in March 2011 following four years with Seattle of the Western Hockey League.
Give Dillon credit, he's fashioned an NHL career with grit and no hype. He's averaged about 19 minutes of ice time per game and been a plus-player – and a tough customer who's had a couple of disciplinary reviews with the league office.
Bedard, like Dillon is a WHL product and hails from the Vancouver area. Bedard is from the North Shore. Dillon is from New Westminster, once home to the WHL Bruins, a team known for its surly fans.
Beware Brenden, Brendan
Another defenseman named Brendan, Brendan Smith (spelled with an "A") broke Bedard's jaw with an open ice hit in New Jersey on Jan. 5. The 35-year-old Smith is only 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds and has a more polished pedigree than Dillon.
Brendan Smith's hit that broken Bedard's jaw.From Mimico, Ontario, the Toronto neighborhood on Humber Bay, Smith played for the St. Michael's Buzzers, then the University of Wisconsin. The Detroit Red Wings drafted him first overall (27th overall) in 2007.
Smith has ample penalty minutes by modern NHL standards, 740 in 670 contests.
Foligno says Smith "plays the game the right way," but still fought Smith on Jan. 5 after he nailed Bedard. See the following story in the link.
Bedard returned from his broken jaw on Feb. 15Bedard, the NHL’s leading rookie scorer, was held off the scoresheet for the second straight game against the Jets. Bedard had two goals and six points in his first three games after returning from the broken jaw against Pittsburgh
Bedard had one shot on goal, had one blocked and missed the net on another in 18:06 of ice time on Friday. The center has 17 goals and 39 points in 44 games.
The Blackhawks host the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday. Patrick Kane will make his return to Chicago and the Blackhawks will retire Chris Chelios' No. 7 in an elaborate ceremony before the game. See story in link below.