Connor Bedard reveals his reasoning for refusing to interviews all off-season
Connor Bedard in 2023-2024 provided the NHL with much-needed hype to grow the fanbase. He won the Calder Trophy, and his entire career was broadcasted to the international stage, as the North Vancouver-born forward, was a firecracker for the Blackhawks brand.
From July 2023 to the end of the NHL season, in June 2024 Bedard mania was everywhere.
He was plastered all over the media, as they followed him from the WHL, to Nashville, to roller hockey and the IIHF.
But this season has been mum, as Bedard has planned it.
Despite missing a month, Bedard posted 61 points in 68 games on a miserable Blackhawks team. In lieu of the broken jaw, would make an appearance at the All-Star Game in Toronto and was a media darling year round.
This year he'd travel to Las Vegas with Kyle Davidson and company for the 2024 NHL Draft and would welcome top defenseman Artyom Levshunov to the Blackhawks organization.
Since then, things have quieted down and he's taken advantage of that.
Over the summer, Bedard said he had worked on putting himself in more game situations during training, along with the standard offseason work hockey players put in to improve their strength, skating, and speed. «The pace of the skates have been good,» Bedard said following the second day of training camp. «Everyone has looked good to begin and I'm feeling pretty good.»
Expectations for Bedard have increased, as many pundits and fans want him to surpass his total points scored in 2023-2024 from 61, and increase to a level seen from past stars such as Connor McDavid, or Sidney Crosby up into the 100s.
Analysts with conservative viewpoints believe he could be a points-per-game player this season.
Blackhawks fans would be happy with either result, but for Bedard's own expectations for himself, he's keeping that close to his chest.
GM Kyle Davidson would like to see Bedard's game grow, by 200-FT, with a well-rounded defensive play this year.
| POLL | ||
SEPTEMBRE 21 | 52 ANSWERS Connor Bedard reveals his reasoning for refusing to interviews all off-season Will Bedard hit 100 points in 2024-2025? | ||
| Yes | 30 | 57.7 % |
| No | 22 | 42.3 % |
| List of polls | ||
