The Chicago Blackhawks have a star in Connor Bedard yet folks just want to go on TV and blast his game.
Connor Bedard is taking the heat lately. Despite being the best player on the Chicago Blackhawks (by far), he hears a lot about the things he does poorly more than the things he does great.
Last week, it was Mark Messier saying he should be benched on the power play because a guy who had 60 goals last year was stronger on his stick.
On Wednesday night, it was the TNT panel talking negatively about Bedard in the defensive zone. They used film and broke it down without just saying to bench him but there was legit criticism there.
Paul Bissonnette, Anson Carter, Henrik Lundqvist, and Liam McHugh were the ones at the desk breaking down Bedard's game.
"That's pond hockey", Bissonnette said when describing the way that Bedard plays when it comes to defending. He used an example of a play where Bedard didn't stop in front of the net to defend which is where the pond hockey comment comes from.
There is no doubt that Bedard's work in his own end leaves a lot to be desired. He is an offensive player who is still working to improve that aspect of his game. It is going to take a long time before he is the best version of himself on the defensive side of the puck.
Most of the criticisms made by Bissonnette here are good points but Lundqvist really came in with the rational take at the end. It is harder to make the perfect play when you are on a team like the Blackhawks who have no chance of making the playoffs. That is a cultural issue that they need to continue working on.
In this game against the Oilers, Bedard spent a lot of time on the ice going up against Connor McDavid. Although Bedard can still learn a lot from McDavid, he played against him as well as he could.
With Ryan Donato and Landon Slaggert out there with Bedard against McDavid, they out-attempted them (17-11), out-chanced them (9-4), out-high-dangered them (4-0, and outscored them (1-0) over 12 minutes of ice time.
It won't be long until Bedard is competent enough defensively for people not to be having this conversation anymore.
After practice on Thursday, Bedard responded to the comments made by the TNT panel:
“I’m not watching broadcasts or anything, I’m playing hockey." Bedard said. "Their job is to say what they see. I couldn’t really care less what people on the outside think of me. But I’m not going to be butthurt if someone says I made a bad play. It’s their job.”
Bedard is spot on. He is going to be criticized. That is the territory of being a great young NHL player who has a lot to work on still. He knows what he must do to be successful. Nobody is more aware of these statements made on TV than Bedard. He will get them corrected.
Bissonnette putting Bedard in the same conversation as Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl tell you just what he thinks of the young player. Although it comes off as a bit harsh, Biz didn't imply that he should be benched or is a bust. He simply pointed out a mistake made by him on the back check and how getting these things corrected would turn him into a superstar.
The home-run plays aren't going to work much in the NHL and the two Edmonton stars have figured that out. Once Bedard does too, he may be as successful as those guys.
The Oilers weren't a winning team when their two pillars first arrived. They also took time to become winners more than point-merchants. Bedard is 19 and plays on a lousy team that is still developing. That must be remembered when evaluating the situation.
These bad defensive habits that are being referred to will be long gone by the time he's in his mid-20s. They have to be if the Blackhawks want to win.
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