From One Connor to Another: McDavid Shares His Big Hopes for Bedard

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Joshua Deeds
October 9, 2023 (3:15 PM)

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It has been a busy summer for Connor Bedard, who was drafted first overall in the NHL entry draft on June 28th after finishing his junior career with Regina St. Pat's.

As a result, he stayed busy playing roller hockey after development camp, taking only a brief break from the ice. In the course of his media tour across Chicago and the NHL, he has gained fans across the hockey spectrum.

In preseason, he showed that he is indeed who he says he is by posting five points in three games, but in the next game he was held out of the lineup because of a tough performance against the Minnesota Wild.

There is a lot of hype surrounding Bedard and he is predicted to score at least 60 points, as reported by media types, pundits, and online bookies.

While Bedard shares the same expectations as Connor McDavid during his first season in the NHL, the superstar center shared his thoughts on the future Blackhawks top center:

«It's a really, really tough league, filled with grown men who have been playing for a long time. You know what? He's a genuinely special 18-year-old hockey player, and it won't take him much time to make an impact. He's that good. But I think it's important to remember that it's an exceptionally challenging league, especially at that age, and there's a lot of change happening.»

Despite Bedard's potential to be a statistical wunderkind, it's unlikely the team will be competing anytime soon, as their best prospects are still developing in multiple junior and overseas leagues.

He has a chance to defeat Adam Fantilli, Leo Carlsson and other NHL rookies for the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year, but that is just the next hill to climb.

Either way, we're all in for a new kind of showtime in Chicago with Bedard taking the helm.

As Seen On: oilersdaily.com