If there is one thing Chicago Blackhawks fans are familiar with, it’s the “Bedard Effect,” which has been palpable since day one. Starting with the team selling $5.2 million of season tickets after they won the draft lottery, knowing they would be selecting Connor Bedard first overall in the 2023 NHL Draft, to being fourth-best in the NHL in game attendance last season. They saw their highest attendance marks since 2019-20, even though the team was second-worst in the league. Moreover, Bedard had the highest-selling jersey in 2023-24.
All those Bedard intricacies are known from the fan’s perspective. Even him winning the Calder Trophy in June brought another wave of excitement, but how does that translate on the ice? Players have noted the “Bedard Effect” before, even if not by that exact phrase, so it was interesting to see it brought up in two different contexts this summer.
Bedard Enticing Players to Chicago
When players sign with new teams, they consistently mention a specific theme: they want to see championship potential, and for the Blackhawks, Bedard plays a big part in that, as his impact on the ice could be seen by all. He led his team in scoring (61 points in 68 games), and the team played with a different tempo with him in the lineup, which became more noticeable after he missed a month with a fractured jaw. Fans can see it, coaches can see it, but most importantly the players can see it, and it’s now affecting how teams view the Blackhawks.
The Blackhawks were the most active team when free agency opened on July 1, making eight signings total (seven new players and one re-signing), and one of them was goaltender Laurent Brossoit. When talking about his decision to sign with the team, this excerpt stood out, “I think (Chicago) has a bright future. If you look at what they’ve done the last three years, something like eight first-rounders in the last three years. Bedard is a big name there. Obviously, there’s a bit of a Bedard effect where you hear rumblings about a lot of different players who are willing to go to Chicago over the free agency frenzy, kind of in the background just knowing a few who were going to consider going to Chicago, so that helps.” (from ‘New Blackhawks goalie Laurent Brossoit eager to prove himself in larger role’ – The Athletic – 07/18/2024).
Last year was mainly a year about introducing Bedard to the league, and although most figured that players that Chicago would become a more popular destination because of him, free agency showed how this could continue to trend through the rebuild. Patrick Kane was always an excellent magnet to draw players to Chicago, even when they were trending downward. Now, it’s Bedard. This is even more significant when you think about the 2025-26 season and the free agents next summer, including Mitch Marner (Toronto Maple Leafs), who probably wouldn’t even be in the Chicago conversation if not for him. I believe this summer was a good prelude to what the team can do; knowing one name will be a draw.
Bedard Helping Form Team on Ice
Chicago knows it can get the players, but what about the culture? Nick Foligno spoke on the “Dropping The Gloves” podcast on Aug. 9, and gave incredible insight (per usual). This particular statement holds weight:
“It’s going to take everybody. You don’t go from where we were to Stanley Cup contenders, but you can jump some levels if you do it the right way. I’ve seen it. I’ve seen teams do it, and I know that there’s a lot of proud guys that are coming in; proud, pro guys that are coming in that want to be better players or help this team move forward, and I’m excited about putting us all together because I think we’re a team now that can really come together as a group and surprise some people.
And you know, we’re not going to put a number on it, but we’re going to be a more competitive hockey team. I think if we have that with the mix of the Connor Bedard effect and Alex Vlasic being a year older, and some other guys coming in, we could be a really, really fun, exciting team to watch.”
In this sense, talking about the “Bedard Effect” on the ice is just as important for the rebuild. Besides Bedard’s individual success, his teammates also benefitted from playing with him. Philipp Kurashev had a career year playing on his line. Jason Dickinson succeeded when playing with him, as did Ryan Donato and even Foligno. It’s one thing when players know teams have a great player; it’s another when it’s someone who elevates everyone around him, making for eventual team success and making players eager to want to be a part of the Blackhawks.
Related: Connor Bedard Caps off Whirlwind Season With Calder Trophy Win
When Bedard won the Calder Trophy, he emphasized in his speech how he didn’t do it alone, and Foligno echoed similar sentiments. It takes a village. Obviously, having a talented pipeline with prospects like Frank Nazar, Artyom Levshunov, and Oliver Moore, with other young talent like Alex Vlasic, Kevin Korchinski, and Lukas Reichel, and also seeing the “work ethic identity” being instilled under head coach Luke Richardson, with respected veterans like Foligno, Seth Jones, and Alec Martinez, makes a difference, too. There is a trickle-down effect being complemented by Bedard, which we see being played out as we speak.
It’s only been one year since Bedard arrived in Chicago, but it brings me back to what Taylor Hall said about him in September 2023: “He’s kind of the whole package,” and that impact is being seen on and off the ice with bringing in the players and seeing how it work on the ice. The “Bedard Effect” continues to help the Blackhawks’ goal of building a winning team, which the organization hoped for all along. It’s cool to see the players mention how it’s coming together and the zest it continues to bring.
