Chicago — Connor Bedard appears to be the heir to the throne of the Chicago sports legend who played at the United Center. Or maybe it’s the air.
“When I’m playing at the United Center, I love thinking, ‘Michael Jordan could have hit a big shot here,'” said the 18-year-old, who was not drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks. he said. . 1st pick in the 2023 NHL Draft. “That’s nice.”
Of course, Michael “Air” Jordan won six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls and is considered one of the greatest, if not the greatest, players in basketball history.
And although Bedard has yet to appear in a single regular-season game, the rookie center is expected to be the NHL’s next generation of talent and Chicago’s next great athlete.
He is scheduled to make his debut on Tuesday (8 p.m. ET, ESPN+, ESPN, SN, TVAS) when the Blackhawks visit the Pittsburgh Penguins, led by Bedard’s childhood idol Sidney Crosby.
“When you just sit back and think about it, it’s pretty crazy,” Bedard said. “I texted some friends. I was like, ‘You can come to the NHL game (Tuesday).’ I’m just trying to embrace it all because it’s pretty special, but once you get on the ice, don’t be like, “Oh, this is so cool.” Just think, “I want to perform, and I want to be as good as I can.” ”
Bedard enters this season as the most touted player since Connor McDavid was selected No. 1 by the Edmonton Oilers in the 2015 NHL Draft. He played in 57 regular season games with Regina last season, scoring in goals (71), points (143), shots on goal (360), points per game (2.51) and points per game (1.25). They were at the top of the Western Hockey League.
It’s already been a turbulent time for Bedard, who says his life since being drafted has been a “whirlwind.”
“I wouldn’t trade it for the world,” he said. “It was really amazing for myself and my family. It’s crazy to have that process go away for an entire summer, and you only get to experience that once in your life. So when I look back on it, it’s just amazing. It was an experience and I enjoyed it.”
More memorable experiences await Bedard, who is expected to help the Blackhawks return to their glory days. He will follow in the footsteps of former forwards Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane, who helped the Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup in 2010, 2013 and 2015.
Although Kane and Toews are gone, Bedard has learned from and relied on the current Blackhawks’ veterans, particularly forwards Nick Foligno and Taylor Hall, who were acquired in a June 26 trade with the Boston Bruins. Foligno emailed Bedard frequently during the summer and invited him to his parents’ home for dinner. Hall, who was selected by the Oilers with the No. 1 pick in the 2010 NHL Draft, has experienced much of what awaits Bedard.
“He’s been very good to me,” Bedard said of Hall. “I’ve been asking him a lot of questions and bothering him (because) he’s been in the same situation. He’s been unreal. He’s a very nice guy, especially over the past week. I think it’s someone I’ve gotten to know really well.
“He came up to me and said, ‘If you have any questions or anything, don’t worry about it.'” Probably the situation and lifestyle in the three months after the draft (before the start of the season). There aren’t many players I know, so it’s great to have someone like him.”
