Connor Bedard, the NHL’s most-anticipated rookie in nearly a decade, is officially in Chicago.
Despite his insistence that he’s just another player battling for a spot in the Blackhawks’ Oct. 10 opening-night lineup, all eyes will focus on him throughout training camp and the preseason as he makes the leap from junior to pro hockey.
The Hawks will likely struggle as a team again this season, but Bedard’s rate of development and production could provide plenty of excitement and long-term optimism anyway.
Here are day-by-day updates on Bedard’s first Hawks camp:
Oct. 7, Day 15 of camp: Bedard wraps things up
The work is complete and Bedard is ready — or as ready as he’s going to be — for his official NHL debut Tuesday and his rookie season to follow.
There will inevitably be an adjustment period and probably some mistakes and growing pains along the way, but especially offensively, the 18-year-old center already looks like one of the more dangerous shooters and playmakers in the NHL. Facing Penguins legend Sidney Crosby in his first game and Bruins star David Pastrnak in his second will put that status to the test, though.
Oct. 6, Day 14 of camp: Bedard’s preseason finished
Bedard — as usual — lingered on the ice, practicing his shot, long after every other Hawk had left practice Friday.
Coach Luke Richardson said Bedard and most of the Hawks’ other top-end players are not expected to play in the preseason finale Saturday at the Blues, meaning Bedard will finish with five points (one goal and four assists) in four preseason appearances.
Oct. 5, Day 13 of camp: Bedard stopped in shootout
Bedard was quieter in his fourth and likely final preseason appearance, a 3-2 shootout loss Thursday against the Wild.
He attempted seven shots in his 23:16 of ice time but only two made it on-goal and he recorded zero points. In the shootout, he tried to get too fancy and Marc-Andre Fleury poke-checked the puck away — and tripped Bedard in the process.
Marc Andre Fleury saves nice try Connor Bedard, Gave him the pokecheck #mnwild
— Alex Micheletti (@AlexMicheletti) October 6, 2023
pic.twitter.com/1UqUqJlJis
Coach Luke Richardson gave an empathetic assessment of Bedard’s performance:
“We’re always going to want more out of our players. We’d like them to shoot the puck more,” Richardson said. “But he’s the one who sees it on the ice, [and] he sees it different than us. So we’re going to have to trust a guy with that kind of talent and vision, when he thinks it’s right to shoot or when he thinks it’s right to hold onto the puck or make a play.”
Oct. 4, Day 12 of camp: Richardson wants Bedard to ‘lighten up’
Bedard looked more like a man driving to work on a rainy morning that a man who had just scored an NHL goal after his empty-netter Tuesday.
Connor Bedard's (kinda) first goal as a Blackhawk 🚨 pic.twitter.com/xwpjQncOOU
— Blackhawks Talk (@NBCSBlackhawks) October 4, 2023
Heading into Bedard’s fourth (and possibly last) preseason game Thursday against the Wild, Hawks coach Luke Richardson has encouraged Bedard to enjoy things a little more.
“I saw him last night after the game and [I said], ‘You didn’t want to celebrate your empty-net goal?’” Richardson said. “And he sheepishly looked at me, like in disgust. That’s not the type of goals he likes to score. But in this league, getting a goal and two assists — even if it wasn’t your best night — [is good]. He’s hard on himself.”
Through three preseason games, Bedard has tallied four points versus just the one goal, which has led to more discussion about his underrated playmaking abilities.
“I feel like people will talk about my shot more, and I’ve never really seen myself as a shooter,” Bedard said Wednesday. “[It’s] not that I don’t want to be, but my game isn’t really get the puck and shoot it. For me, it’s whatever the right play is.”
Oct. 3, Day 11 of camp: Bedard learning not to do too much
Bedard’s competitiveness has led to him trying to do too much at times, something the Hawks’ coaching staff talked to him about Tuesday before a 4-2 preseason win over the Red Wings.
With patience, Bedard’s chances and points will come. That was the case Tuesday; he tallied two assists and eventually scored a power-play empty-netter for his first (unofficial) goal at the United Center. He added another seven shot attempts and a 61.5% scoring-chance ratio in 16:16 of ice time, although he did lose eight of 10 faceoffs.
Oct. 1, Day 10 of camp: Bedard quieter in second preseason game
Bedard traveled to Detroit for the Hawks’ third preseason game Sunday, an experience which should familiarize him with the logistics and routines of road games before starting the regular season on a five-game trip.
Connor Bedard doing Connor Bedard things. #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/NpMbDdVswX
— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) October 2, 2023
However, things didn’t go very well on the ice. Bedard had one beautiful end-to-end rush and four shots on goal in 20:52 of ice time, but he didn’t record a point and the Hawks struggled defensively in a 6-1 loss:
The Hawks took an off-day Monday before the final stretch of camp starting Tuesday.
Sept. 29-30, Days 8-9 of camp: Bedard torments Commesso
The Hawks have lightened their practices in terms of length and intensity now that the preseason has begun.
But Bedard hasn’t let that reduce his own workload. Since he wasn’t traveling for Saturday’s road game against the Wild, he instead stayed on the ice for nearly an hour after team practice ended, playing games of “two puck” with fellow prospects and then shooting on his own for a while longer.
In those “two puck” games, Bedard continued tormenting goalie Drew Commesso. He has clearly figured out how to open up and score through his five-hole with ease:
Connor Bedard really has Drew Commesso’s five-hole figured out. He scores on him twice in nearly identical ways during this two-puck game: pic.twitter.com/D0fpZ9gn8A
— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) September 30, 2023
Sept. 28, Day 7 of camp: Bedard impressive in preseason debut
Bedard tallied assists on both Hawks goals in a 2-1 overtime win over the Blues in Thursday’s preseason opener. He also tallied nine shot attempts, including five on goal, and a 70.3% expected-goals ratio during five-on-five play in 21:20 of total ice time.
Connor Bedard sets up Andreas Athanasiou, who scores the overtime winner. #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/tuNiLWgNQ5
— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) September 29, 2023
But he was hardly thrilled with his play overall.
“I don’t think I personally played great,” he said. “I’ve got a lot better than that from myself hopefully coming forward, but it was a good start.”
Sept. 27, Day 6 of camp: Bedard, Korchinski keep grinding
Nearly a half-hour after the organized portion of Hawks practice ended Wednesday, Bedard and defensive prospect Kevin Korchinski were still on the ice, practicing tipping point shots and passes to set up one-timers.
Blackhawks practice ended a while ago but Connor Bedard and Kevin Korchinski are still on the ice together, practicing tipping point shots: pic.twitter.com/LkdcwIO3it
— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) September 27, 2023
The two top prospects are good friends after facing each other in WHL games last season and playing together on Canada’s World Junior Championship team.
They’re also both expected to play, barring any surprises, in the Hawks’ preseason opener Thursday against the Blues.
Sept. 26, Day 5 of camp: Bedard and Hall keep building chemistry
In another scrimmage Tuesday, Bedard recorded one primary assist but easily could’ve earned a couple more if not for spectacular saves by goalie Arvid Soderblom.
This is the kind of Bedard pass that Donato was talking about:pic.twitter.com/ckfXYP8LhI https://t.co/fbnp8WTpE1
— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) September 26, 2023
He and Taylor Hall have already built strong chemistry on and off the ice. Their opposite handedness lends itself to juicy one-timer plays off faceoffs and on the power play, while their speed and puck control make them dangerous in transition, too.
“They probably see the game the same way,” coach Luke Richardson said. “[Taylor] thinking on the same level is going to be huge for Connor to have a guy to rely on.”
Sept. 25, Day 4 of camp: Bedard scores twice in scrimmage
In an intra-team scrimmage Monday — three days ahead of the first preseason game Thursday — Bedard received five shifts and scored goals on two of them.
Taylor Hall sets up Connor Bedard, who scores his first goal of the scrimmage. #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/u7SxUsY1F2
— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) September 25, 2023
The first finished off a pretty end-to-end rush with Taylor Hall. The other was a one-timer from slightly further out set up by Ryan Donato — a goal which came shortly after a defensive miscue that Bedard was upset at himself about.
“I don’t think I could get away with that in pee-wee hockey,” Bedard said. “That’s hockey, I guess. You make mistakes and sometimes things go your way. Obviously [I’m] still learning stuff.”
Donato mentioned the Hawks are learning how Bedard’s incredible shot doesn’t preclude him from making great passes to set up his teammates, too.
“He keeps on finding guys and giving them opportunities when they’re not really ready for it yet,” Donato said. “He’s catching guys off-guard. He’s a playmaker, too.”
Sept. 23, Day 3 of camp: Bedard gets his partner
Taylor Hall made his camp debut Saturday and immediately slotted in alongside Bedard on the first line. Surprisingly, however, Ryan Donato stuck as the other winger opposite them rather than Tyler Johnson, as had been expected.
Bedard’s skills have been the talk of camp, and various Hawks players and coaches have given fascinating analyses of the different things they’ve noticed he does so well. Read that full story here:
Bedard also spent some time with Nick Foligno in two-on-two drills that comprised a big portion of practice. Foligno told a funny story about his kids going wild the first time Bedard came over for dinner.
“I had to give him the riot act like, ‘Don’t act crazy, it’s just a person!’” Foligno said. “I think as soon as he walked in, they just handed him a mini stick like, ‘Let’s go!’ Poor kid, he was down on his knees the whole day. But I think he loved it more than they did, probably. It’s sad that I’m not even their favorite player anymore.”
The Hawks will have an off day Sunday before holding a scrimmage on Day 4 of camp Monday.
Sept. 22, Day 2 of camp: Bedard settles in
Bedard continued skating with Tyler Johnson and Ryan Donato as camp continued Friday.
“All [three guys] have an ability to shoot,” coach Luke Richardson said. “I thought it was a good start to give Connor some guys who have experience scoring at the NHL level and the ability to make plays at his kind of intelligent level. [As] we’ll move along, we’ll let other people have that opportunity, too.”
The Hawks also appeared to do some five-on-four practice for the first time, but Richardson later said they were simply practicing five-on-five tactics with one man removed in order to help out the offense.
Blackhawks are practicing 5-on-4 situations for the first time right now. Here’s a few seconds of Bedard (initially far side in red) operating on the PP and making a nice move: pic.twitter.com/Vau3BEUmbD
— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) September 22, 2023
Sept. 21, Day 1 of camp: Bedard hits the ice
A sold-out crowd of fans at Fifth Third Arena — where the Hawks had to start ticketing practices this season to avoid Bedard mania leading to overcrowding — watched Bedard hit the ice Thursday for his first-ever day of Hawks training camp.
“Once you’re on the ice, it’s hockey and you try not to be starstruck,” Bedard said. “But waking up and talking to my parents last night about it, it’s pretty special. To be here with the fans in this city and everything, it’s remarkable. I feel super fortunate. It’s definitely a dream right now.”
Connor Bedard is on the ice for his first-ever day of Blackhawks training camp: pic.twitter.com/N8PCMv0zSo
— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) September 21, 2023
With Taylor Hall, Bedard’s expected mentor and near-constant linemate this season, sidelined by a lower-body injury, Bedard skated on a line with Tyler Johnson and Ryan Donato.
Bedard looked fully comfortable in the drills that Hawks coach Luke Richardson led the team through before enduring his first grueling session of end-of-practice conditioning laps. He’ll have to learn Richardson’s systems relatively quickly.
“[It’ll take] a couple practices of getting used to it and figuring it out and talking to other guys,” he said. “It’s not too hard, but it’s good and I think it should be quick.”
Bedard said he has been FaceTiming his mom for cooking advice and also going over to Nick Foligno’s house for some companionship since moving to Chicago. But he got the biggest laugh when asked what he has learned about the city so far.
“I’m learning about the drivers — they’re intense here,” he quipped.
