It seems like it’s been a decade since the Blackhawks shocked the world and won the NHL Draft Lottery back in May. Perhaps it’s been years since then-17-year-old Connor Bedard was drafted – or maybe it’s been just four and a half months. Still, it felt like we were waiting forever for Chicago’s new “golden boy” to make his NHL debut. The wait finally ended last night in a performance that captured the hearts of hockey fans around the country as he delivered highlights both on the ice and off it.
Opening-Night Mishap
First off, an endearing moment that at first glance looked as if Bedard had forgotten his stick in the excitement of getting on the ice in the regular season for the first time. According to Bedard, though, he hadn’t forgotten:
“No, I didn’t forget my stick. I don’t know where that’s coming from. It was in the room and I went back.”
– Connor Bedard
Lidless Bedard
When he finally made it out on the ice, Bedard, along with fellow first-rounder Kevin Korchinski, skated his first laps without a lid in a pretty sweet look:
Puck drop
Perhaps the coolest moment of the night came just before the puck drop, which featured Bedard pitted against his childhood idol Sidney Crosby. Referee Kelly Sutherland welcomed the two star centers to the season and gave Bedard a special welcome.
Maybe the moment was pretty “made for TV”, but it’s still a great soundbite for the NHL and a moment Bedard won’t forget.
After all the pregame antics, Bedard and the Blackhawks still had a game to play – and a game to win. A 4-2 victory was the perfect start to the Bedard era in Chicago, and the rookie had himself a nice game.
In what’s become typical Bedard fashion, the 18-year-old led all forwards in ice time with 21:29. That’s great news for Chicago – their prized possession is able to get plenty of chances to help his team. He also led the team in shots and shots on net, which resulted in a 63.3% expected-goal ratio, which was the highest on his team. Perhaps the highlight of his night was when Bedard got on the board in his first game after being rewarded with an assist on the first goal of the season.
Bedard’s game wasn’t completely perfect – he didn’t win a faceoff until the beginning of the third period and ended the night 2-for-13. That’s not a cause for concern yet, as many rookies struggle at the faceoff dot. Meanwhile, he took his fair share of hits throughout the night, but didn’t think twice about it:
Bedard and the Blackhawks will face a quick turnaround as they find themselves in Boston tonight for their second game in as many days. While the debut adrenaline may wear off a bit, Bedard will hope to keep the momentum going, and maybe even get his first NHL goal.
