Connor Bedard was absolutely unbelievable in the Chicago Blackhawks’ most recent game against the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday night.
He didn’t appear on the scoresheet but it was clear that he was on his game and didn’t get the bounces he deserved.
Connor Bedard’s playmaking/vision tonight has been magic.
— BucciOT.Com (@Buccigross) October 20, 2024
You know you’re good when people recognize your game even though you didn’t contribute to the final score. With Bedard, you can see the magical ability regardless of the result.
It isn’t like the scoresheet hasn’t been filled by him so far either. Going into the new week, Bedard has one goal and six assists for seven points in six games played.
Bedard came from the Regina Pats with the hype of being a generational goal scorer. Well, as we are seeing early in the year, he might be a generational playmaker too.
That duel sense will lead to tons of goals and assists for him over the years because you can’t just defend one skill in his game. He is a threat to thread the needle with a perfect pass and make an elite shot at all times.
Right now, the assists are piling up. There will also be stretches this season where he is the goal scorer on whatever line he’s playing with.
The whole off-season for Chicago was about getting Bedard some help. Well, Taylor Hall is healthy, Nick Foligno is still there, and they added good players like Tyler Bertuzzi and Teuvo Teravanen for Bedard to skate with.
Whether it is at five-on-five or on the power play, Bedard has players who can get him the puck and score when he sets them up.
Bedard managed to succeed in his rookie season with very little around him but the production will only improve as the team gets better. He’s elite at making others around him better too and it’s only going to get better as time goes on.
The Hawks will win a lot more games this season because of Bedard’s development. It is already clear through a few weeks that they win more when he gets a couple of points on the board. As that becomes more regular, the Hawks will rack up victories.
Is Bedard going to be a 100-point player in his sophomore season? Well, it’s possible. He is on pace for 95 points right now but one big week will put him on pace for 100. If he stays healthy, the skills and teammates are there to help him get it done.
The Hawks are not good enough for him to lead them to the playoffs but he is good enough to make it interesting. With the start he’s had, there is reason for him and the organization to be optimistic about the future.
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