Chicago concludes its season-opening five-game road trip on Thursday at Denver against Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar and the 3-0 Colorado Avalanche. Bedard looks forward to taking on another highly skilled opponent. See story with videos from the rookie.
One last stop. One more home-opener for the host team. One more matchup of current and former top NHL draft picks.
Connor Bedard didn't post a point in Chicago's impressive 4-1 win at Toronto on Monday, but he did have his chances. He's stopped here by Joseph Woll after flying down the slot in the first period.At least the Blackhawks and Connor Bedard won't encounter the media mobs that engulfed them in Toronto and Montréal when they take on the Colorado Avalanche in Denver on Thursday night.
But Chicago, 2-2 so far, will face another high-powered team with top stars in the finale of its five-game, season-opening trip. The Avalanche was predicted by The Hockey News writers to win the Central Division again this season after topping it in 2022-23 with a 51-24-7 mark. See https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/chicago-blackhawks/news/ranking-the-central-division-teams-blackhawks-keys-to-the-season
Colorado has started the 2023-24 campaign with three road wins – at Los Angeles, San Jose and Seattle. Leading stars Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar and Mikko Rantanen are all producing.
Bedard vs MacKinnon: No. 1 on No. 1
Bedard, the NHL's highly-touted top draft pick of 2023, will once again face off against another former No. 1 draftee and center. This time it's MacKinnon, selected first overall by the Avs in 2013.
"It's gonna' be a lot of fun," Bedard said. "They've got a lot of guys — MacKinnon, Rantanen, Makar. They've got so many guys that's have been successful in the league for a long time and, of course, they won a Cup not long ago." See video below.
Like Bedard, the 6-foot-0, 200-pound MacKinnon debuted in the NHL straight after being drafted at age 18. The Colorado forward went on to score 24 goals and 39 assists as a rookie, win the Calder Trophy and become a foundational player for a successful franchise.
Sounds like a script Bedard would like to replicate.
Colorado's Nathan MacKinnon skates against the Kings in Los Angeles last week.Both Bedard and McKinnon have a goal and two assists so far this season.
Bedard and the Blackhawks have already taken on two previous top draft picks, Toronto super-sniper Auston Matthews (2016) and Pittsburgh's future Hall-of-Famer Sidney Crosby (2005). Chicago held Matthews off the scoresheet on Monday — although he had nine shots on goal and attempted 16 — after the Maple Leafs forward posted hat tricks in his first two games.
And behind improved defense and goaltending, the Blackhawks beat the Leafs and Penguins. See story at: https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/chicago-blackhawks/analysis/goaltending-rookie-d-man-vlasic-giving-blackhawks-big-early-boost
Bedard Ready to Break Out?
Bedard has been been visible in his first four NHL games, with 20 shots on goal, plenty of prime chances and nifty play creation. It's only a matter of time before he breaks through for more goals and points, he believes. See video below:
Chicago Luke Richardson agrees, while adding Bedard also has played "responsibly." See the following video.
The Blackhawks were the visitors at Pittsburgh, Boston and Montréal in the Penguins, Bruins and Canadiens home openers on the road trip. Chicago finally plays its first home game on Saturday, hosting the defending Stanley Cup champion Vegas Knights.
Connor Bedard will get to walk the red carpet on Saturday at the United Center. Patrick Kane, pictured here, did it for a final time last October.Blackhawks players will begin red-carpet arrivals at the United Center at 4:30 p.m.