Kyle Davidson reveals the downside to Connor Bedard's rookie year
Chicago Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson didn't hold back his happiness for Calder Trophy finalist Connor Bedard after his impressive rookie year in this past 2023-24 NHL season, as well as expressing the downsides of the roster and how that may affected Bedsy's production.
Bedard, dubbed the "next generational talent," lived up to the hype both on and off the ice, according to Davidson, who selected him first overall in last June's draft.
"It was incredible," Davidson remarked. "The weight put on his shoulders, given his profile entering the league, was really difficult to handle."
Bedard led all rookie scorers with 22 goals and 61 points in 68 games, an achievement Davidson described as remarkable.
"He had to deal with a lot off the ice, and then to perform on the ice... it's hard to quantify," Davidson explained. "We tried to make it as seamless as possible, and I think we accomplished that for the most part."
Challenges to Bedsy's rookie year
Despite facing intense media attention, Bedard delivered offensively. Davidson expressed his admiration, stating:
"He certainly delivered everything you would want out of an 18-year-old player in his first year."
However, Bedard's rookie season was not without challenges, with the team facing injuries that increased the offensive burden on him.
"When your depth is depleted, it gives the opposition a more specific subset of players to focus on," Davidson noted. "And obviously him being one of the top ones to focus on made his life even harder on the ice."
Despite these obstacles, Bedard's performance was outstanding, leaving Davidson impressed with his skill as he looks to take home the Calder Trophy as the NHL's rookie of the year.
| POLL | ||
Do you think Connor Bedard would've had a much better season if the team stayed healthy? | ||
| Yes, of course | 102 | 91.1 % |
| No, it gave him more minutes | 10 | 8.9 % |
| List of polls | ||
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