Blackhawks Lock Arena and Hide Bedard's Stick To Keep Him Off Ice
Photo credit: The Hockey News
It is no surprise that Connor Bedard is a diehard hockey enthusiast, who just happens to play the game professionally.
According to reports from ESPN's Emily Kaplan, as soon as Blackhawks games end, he rushes home in hopes of catching his former WHL club, the Regina Pats. In addition to watching a lot of hockey, he doesn't stop playing it.
He loves hockey so much, that he practices beyond his typical obligations and it interrupts media availability, the Zamboni driver, and usually if a team staffer attempts to take him off the ice, they always get the same response.
I'm Working
It's not surprising to anyone that he tries to stay on the ice, longer than anyone on the team. He attempts to make it back on the ice, after being done with his other obligations as well, never attempting to rest.
This has caused both GM Kyle Davidson and Coach Luke Richardson to attempt other methods in order to remove him from the ice, in order to ensure Bedard is well-rested.
Bedard practices so much that he is there, while the Blackhawks book birthday parties at their practice facility that they have nicknamed it "Connor's Room".
The Blackhawks got clever with ways to keep Connor Bedard OFF the ice, according to a new story from ESPNhttps://t.co/p0N9gxt94h— Blackhawks Talk (@NBCSBlackhawks) April 4, 2024
However, the team has hilariously figured out how to make sure Bedard is rested, as they have locked the facility and hid Bedard's equipment in concert with the staff who work at Fifth Third Arena.
"The Blackhawks have a hockey shooting range at their practice facility, which they sometimes rent out for birthday parties," Kaplan wrote. "Bedard is in there so much, the team simply refers to it as 'Connor's room.' Davidson joked he would need to lock it to keep him out. It was a bit of fun, until Davidson got a text one Sunday while watching NFL games on his couch. Bedard wanted to know why the room was locked, and if Davidson did it intentionally. The innocent error was duly fixed.
"... On one scheduled optional day, Bedard wanted to skate. Richardson thought Bedard needed rest, so he had the equipment staff hide Bedard's sticks in the coaches' room. Bedard is especially particular about his stick; his Sherwood features a 70 flex, its whippiness helps his signature release. 'So he has a choice to make,' Richardson said. 'Does he get out there with someone else's stick?'"
"... On one scheduled optional day, Bedard wanted to skate. Richardson thought Bedard needed rest, so he had the equipment staff hide Bedard's sticks in the coaches' room. Bedard is especially particular about his stick; his Sherwood features a 70 flex, its whippiness helps his signature release. 'So he has a choice to make,' Richardson said. 'Does he get out there with someone else's stick?'"
How could he practice with anything but his own stick right?
All-in-all, Bedard's practice has paid off as he leads rookies in the NHL with 58 points despite missing 14 games this season, after the broken jaw.
Bedard would eventually have his way, as he asked GM Kyle Davidson to start skating one week after surgery, and then near the end of recovery he requested to practice before the game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, which would eventually lead to his return.
"Once we gave that green light," Davidson said, "there was a zero percent chance Bedard wasn't going to play that night."
| POLL | ||
AVRIL 4 | 348 ANSWERS Blackhawks Lock Arena and Hide Bedard's Stick To Keep Him Off Ice Do you think Bedard needs to rest more often? | ||
| Yes | 132 | 37.9 % |
| No | 216 | 62.1 % |
| List of polls | ||
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