The 18-year-old said he wants to learn from the Capitals captain's iconic one-timer.
ARLINGTON, V.A. — Chicago Blackhawks star and 2023 No. 1 pick Connor Bedard is no stranger to the hype surrounding him as he prepares to take the NHL by storm. Still, he's trying to improve every facet of his game, including his renowned shot, and he admits to watching Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin's approach as he prepares for his rookie campaign.
Bedard, who was at MedStar Capitals Iceplex on Tuesday as part of the NHLPA Rookie Showcase, is already known for his wicked snapshot, which he fine-tuned over the years. However, as he prepares to make the NHL jump and add to his arsenal, he said that he's taken to watching the way Ovechkin gets the puck on net.
"I think I shoot the puck a little different than him, just with his one-timer and stuff," Ovechkin said. "I try to watch him and try to take some things from specifically the one-timer, but mine's not nearly as good as his. But you can learn some things."
Bedard also believes that Ovechkin will break Wayne Gretzky's all-time goals record. Ovechkin sits at 822 goals and is 73 away from passing No. 99.
"I think he gets it. Two years I give him, but yeah, it's pretty crazy that he's scored that many goals," Bedard said. "I mean, just to kind of be watching it in the past couple years, obviously got 800, and then you know, passed Howe and everything, so it's just pretty cool to see. If he breaks it, it's special for the whole game."