The Chicago Blackhawks‘ newest top prospect Connor Bedard signed his three-year entry-level contract with the team on his 18th birthday (July 17). Now that he is officially a part of the team, discussing all his nuances within the organization is fun. With Chicago being such a historic franchise within the Original Six, it’s hard not to think about the parallels Bedard has shared with some players. Here are some interesting crossovers between Bedard and past and present Blackhawks players.
Bedard & Jones’ Leadership Mentality
NHL prospects always lean on the team’s veterans to show them the way. Bedard will learn a lot from Corey Perry, Connor Murphy, Taylor Hall, and others, but I noticed he shares a striking similarity to defenseman Seth Jones.
One thing people can sense from Bedard is that he does not seem phased by the hype to live up to expectations. He seems to have a great mindset and gave a glimpse into how he handles everything. In 2020, he was asked how he handled all the pressure after gaining exceptional status that allowed him to play in the Western Hockey League (WHL) as a 15-year-old. He responded, “If someone expects something from me, I’m going to expect more from myself … I guarantee I’m two times harder on myself … if I’m online and someone’s saying I had a bad game or something then, you know, I’m definitely saying that to myself, too, so I’ve always been that way. I put pressure on myself and I think that’s something that’s helped me.”
This quote stood out because Jones said something almost identical in December 2022. He discussed with the Chicago Sun-Times about his frustrations with his game and feeling like he wasn’t living up to the eight-year contract, stating, “There’s always going to be pressure. I put pressure on myself. I’m my biggest critic to be one of the top players on this team every night. Personally, I don’t think I’ve lived up to that so far. I’m a professional athlete. I was brought here to do a job, and I’ve been hit-and-miss at it so far. Just being more consistent is going to [make me] better. [I’m] not putting all the burden on myself, but a big part of it, for sure.”
I find this to be a great parallel. Bedard was captain of the Regina Pats, and the thought process is that he will grow into a leadership role with the Blackhawks. Jones is already the alternate captain of the team and has an impact on the locker room. Knowing a veteran and prospect already share the same mentality should be excellent for team chemistry.
Johnson & Bedard’s WHL Excellence
Forward Tyler Johnson has been an enigma his whole career. He went undrafted to being a Stanley Cup champion and is now one of the most respected players on the Blackhawks. However, not many are familiar with his WHL history. He played for the Spokane Chiefs (2007 to 2011), and one of his most impressive feats is that he was named the WHL’s Playoff MVP at 17 years old in 2008. He was also a finalist for the 2011 WHL Player of the Year as he led the WHL in goals (53) but got beaten by goaltender Darcy Keumper.
Related: Blackhawks Should Play Connor Bedard With Tyler Johnson
Bedard was awarded the WHL Player of the Year as a 17-year-old. Fun fact, he had 51 goals with Regina in 2021-22, so Johnson had two more goals at one point. The idea of Johnson playing on Bedard’s line next season keeps appearing, and knowing their WHL pedigree, that would be fun.
The Great Canadian Goal Race
In December 2021, Bedard scored four goals for Team Canada as they beat Austria 11-2 at the World Junior Championship. It was a fantastic feat because, at 16 years old, he was the youngest player to score that many goals in a game at the World Juniors. Another name that pops up alongside his? Taylor Raddysh.
In 2016, Raddysh scored four goals in Canada’s game against Latvia in a 10-2 win. So the record books have Mario Lemieux, Simon Gagne, Brayden Schenn, Maxime Comtois, Raddysh, and Bedard for the most goals scored in a game (four).
Coach Seabrook & Bedard
Blackhawks’ legend Brent Seabrook has delved into the coaching side of the game as he is now the player development coach for the WHL’s Vancouver Giants. He was also head coach of the “White Team” during the Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game in January, where he coached against Bedard, who played on the Red Team. The tournament hosted top prospects from the Canadian Hockey League (CHL). Seabrooks’s Team White beat Bedard’s Team Red 4-2. Ironically, Bedard did not score in that game, but his teammate and fellow 2023 Blackhawks’ draft pick Nick Lardis had an assist.
How Swede It Is for Bedard & Hjalmarsson
When the WHL shut down due to COVID-19, Bedard was looking for a place he could continue to play hockey, and he ended up with the Swedish HV71 U20 team for two months. Initially, he wasn’t supposed to play in any games, just train, due to the WHL’s agreement with the team, but he ultimately received permission to play and appeared in four games, where he registered four points.
The team is located in Jönköping, Sweden, the hometown of fan-favorite Niklas Hjalmarsson. The former defenseman also played for the HV71 Swedish Junior team from 2003 to 2006, where he netted 24 points in 53 games. He finished his career with HV71 Jönköping in 2022-23, where he played 17 games before retiring in April.
The “Showtime” Continues
It’s hard not to pinpoint the connections between Patrick Kane and Bedard. They are the only first-overall picks in franchise history and share CHL awards. In 2007, Kane won Top Prospect and Top Scorer with 62 goals, 83 assists, and 145 points in 58 games with the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). Bedard won Top Prospect, Top Scorer, and Player of the Year with 143 points in 57 games. After skating with him at the BioSteel camp, Kane said that Bedard is “going to be special.” Their trajectories have similarities, but they also share a more touching parallel.
Related: Meet the New Blackhawks: Connor Bedard
Bedard mentioned losing his grandfather in 2021 and even had a poker chip with his picture on it with him at the 2023 NHL Draft. When playing in his first game after he lost his grandpa with the Pats, he scored two goals in a 2-1 overtime win and pointed to the sky after scoring the overtime goal to honor him.
Kane lost his grandfather in 2014 and learned of the news before the Blackhawks faced the Los Angeles Kings. He ended up with two goals and an assist in a 5-3 win. He pointed toward the sky after scoring a power-play goal, the same gesture as Bedard.
Both players wear their hearts on their sleeves. It’s a shame they missed playing together on the Hawks by one year, as that would have been a sight to see. As much as they admire each other for their on-ice accomplishments, they are probably even more inspired by each other’s off-ice personas.
This series could go on forever with the number of parallels, and surely more will come when Bedard officially makes his NHL debut. But for now, his connections with current teammates and even past Blackhawks are enough to excite fans for his upcoming Chicago tenure.
