The Chicago Blackhawks have a very bright future, and Connor Bedard looks like a player who could lead the team forward. The problem with a lot of talent is that it's hard to give all the players their opportunities on powerplays and in top-six minutes. The Vegas Golden Knights adopted a five-forward powerplay rollout this season, and the Blackhawks have done the same with Bedard up top in the usual defenseman's role. It's something the star has embraced, according to Ben Pope via X, formerly Twitter.
“I honestly think it's 100x easier to shoot a puck from up there. You just have the puck a lot… I feel pretty confident that I can get my shot through, not at any time, but most of the time,” Bedard told reporters.
The Blackhawks added another potentially elite forward to their group with Anton Frondell coming to North America after his season in Sweden ended. Frondell is the team's top prospect, which led him to start on the wing with Bedard and get a spot right away on the first powerplay unit.
“But at the end of the day, I'm higher up than all the other guys,” Bedard continued. “If I have a perfect lane to shoot, I will, but I'd rather have [Frondell] or [Frank Nazar] taking a one-timer or [Tyler Bertuzzi] and [Teuvo Teravainen] around the net back-door.”
Anton Frondell and Connor Bedard might be teaming up in Chicago right now, but the goal down the road is a three-headed monster down the middle of the ice with Nazar acting as the third center. If each of those players can lead their own lines, it'll be a very interesting future for the Blackhawks.
