The emotions were high at the United Center on Wednesday night, as 18-year-old rookie phenom Connor Bedard scored his first overtime game winner in the National Hockey League.

It was jubilation for Hawks fans after the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft sniped the OT winner, earning Chicago a 2-1 win coming out of the Christmas break. One fan was so emotional, she broke down in tears after Bedard's snipe. While that wasn't the general mood in the building, Bedard got a laugh out of it.

“That was pretty funny, but it was good. It’s cool,” Bedard said post-game, according to NBC Sports Chicago's Charlie Roumeliotis. “Obviously they’re very passionate fans and the emotion. That’s pretty special to see people get so emotional and happy for us.”

 

Bedard carrying the Blackhawks

Connor Bedard with eyeball emojis beside him

Happy is putting it lightly, but that seems to be the effect Bedard has had on the city of Chicago in the early going. He's been exactly as advertised, with 15 goals and 32 points through his first 34 NHL games.

Those impressive totals lead the Blackhawks, and not by a little. The next closest player is Philipp Kurashev, who's recorded six goals and 20 points in 27 games.

Clearly, Connor Bedard is driving the bus, which is what was expected of the phenom right off the bat. Although the expectations were sky high, the North Vancouver native has been meeting them and then some early in his professional career.

“It's always nice to score goals,” Bedard admitted after the game. “Especially the crowd tonight, it was awesome. So, it was obviously nice to get the winner in overtime, and like I said, it always feels good to score goals. I don't know if I thought about it overly, but it feels nice.”

At this point, Bedard knows that it's a lost season for Chicago, although his play is giving the city something to cheer about. Maybe that's why he is stirring up so many emotions in the fans.

It's going to take a few seasons, but the hope is that this player can usher in a new era of championships, as Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews did en route to three Stanley Cup titles in six seasons between 2010-15.