Chicago Blackhawks rookie center Connor Bedard is slowly getting the feel of the NHL game. Bedard was obviously a nervous wreck when television cameras captured him forgetting his stick prior to his NHL debut. Fast forward to their game against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday, Bedard has shown emotion on the ice. He slammed his stick along the Blackhawks' bench after his power-play goal attempt hit the goal post.

The Blackhawks scored all three of their goals in the second period against the Maple Leafs. MacKenzie Entwistle, Correy Perry, and Tyler Johnson all scored as Chicago won its second game of the season, 3-1. Toronto lost for the first time in three games.

The Blackhawks made Connor Bedard the first overall selection of the 2023 NHL Draft. He has had a decent start with one goal and two assists for three points through Chicago's first four games. Bedard scored his first NHL goal – a gorgeous wraparound goal at that – against the Boston Bruins on October 12.

“It's a big relief. You want to get one really bad quick, and kind of get that out of the way. But it was a really cool moment and cool building to do it in,” Connor Bedard said,

“I remember, like, being behind the net and kind of seeing it, and I was just like, ‘Don't screw this up.' And then once it went in, just a lot of joy, for sure,” the 18-year-old rookie added.

This early in Bedard's NHL career, the Maple Leafs' John Tavares compared him to the Pittsburgh Penguins' Sidney Crosby. The Penguins great is Bedard's hockey idol.

With all the ups and downs of a long hockey season, we will see Connor Bedard showing a wide range of emotions on the ice.