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The Chicago Blackhawks endured a tough 2023-24 season, finishing 31st overall and far from playoff contention. However, rookie sensation Connor Bedard, who was taken with the first overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft and won the Calder Trophy, emerged as a bright spot on the team.
The Blackhawks' selection of Bedard came after their controversial win in the NHL Draft Lottery, securing their right to draft him. And Bedard didn’t disappoint, leading all first-year players with 22 goals and 39 assists en route to winning the Calder Trophy as the NHL's top rookie. His stats could have been even more impressive had he not been sidelined for several games due to a broken jaw.
Now that the Blackhawks have made several additions to their roster, what are Bedard's expectations for himself and the team as he enters his sophomore NHL season? He seems to have a clear sense of what he can achieve, but it appears he’ll let his performance on the ice answer for itself.
“I'd never tell you, but I have stuff in my head,” he said via NBC Sports Chicago.
“I feel good,” Bedard continued when talking about his second NHL Training Camp. “I should, I was training for a while; we all were. I think everyone does. The pace of the skates has been good. I’m feeling pretty good. In the gym and on the ice, [I] just [tried] to put myself in as much game situations as I can. Coming here, I’m ready to do that.”
“I didn’t do an interview for a couple of months, which was unbelievable,” Bedard said. “I feel a lot more ready to come. The excitement was there last year, but I think I just feel more relaxed.”
With Tyler Bertuzzi, Alec Martinez, Teuvo Teravainen, Pat Maroon, and Craig Smith all with the team after signing during the NHL Free Agency period, Bedard and the Blackhawks ought to make strides in 2024-25.
Connor Bedard is the reigning Calder Trophy winner
Bedard became the youngest Blackhawks player in franchise history to be named Rookie of the Year, a mark that was previously held by future Hall of Fame forward Patrick Kane in 2007-08. But as he explained, he's not doing anything special – he's just playing hockey.
“I’m just playing hockey,” Bedard said via Yahoo Sports after winning the Calder Trophy. “There’s a lot of stuff that is out of your control and that’s not important to me. I just want to play hockey and be with my teammates, be with your brothers every day chasing a goal. That’s all I really focus on. The other stuff is just what comes with it once you get to a certain level. Not really anything I’ve thought about much.”
He and his teammates will continue training camp before facing the Detroit Red Wings in the opening exhibition contest at United Center on September 25.
