The factors behind Connor Bedard's success this season

The Chicago Blackhawks have unexpectedly taken the NHL by storm thus far in the early days of this 2025-2026 campaign. The club has gotten off to an impressive 7-5-3 record through 15 games, which, for now, is good enough for a 2026 Stanley Cup playoff wildcard ticket. There are a variety of factors behind the Blackhawks' strong form so far, but none greater than the impact of Connor Bedard.

Everyone in the hockey world has noticed the improvement in Bedard's game this season. His play has been night and day compared to last year in what was an up-and-down sophomore season for the young phenom. After a year that sparked noise that Bedard might not be the generational player he was hyped up to be, his results this season have silenced the doubters.

The question is, how has Bedard found this form? What has Bedard changed in his game compared to recent seasons? What is he doing differently that is leading to these cinematic performances night in and night out? The answer ties to three main factors: Improved defensive play, coaching, and mentality.

Defensive Gains

Bedard's defensive gains have been clearly evident this season on a game-by-game basis, and that is translating to increased offensive production. Bedard is tied for first on the Blackhawks as a plus-10. Notice how, when Bedard is on the ice, the Blackhawks spend far more time in the offensive zone. That was not always the case in the previous two seasons, in which long shifts spent chasing the puck in the defensive zone were commonplace.

With the increase in speed he has found in the offseason, Bedard is no longer chasing the game. Instead, the puck is finding him, and it's making life for him and his linemates much easier. He has clearly worked on improving his all-around habits, which has led to improvement in his own end. The biggest gains of note from this regard have been his positioning, takeaway ability, and increased faceoff productivity. Bedard has been playing the way a true number-one centerman should be. As a result, the Blackhawks can trust him with 20-plus minutes a night and in those challenging situations that would have been a concern in prior years.

Coaching

Jeff Blashill and his coaching staff deserve some credit for Bedard's success this season. The most obvious point of note that supports this is consistency. Gone are the days when, on every Blackhawks gameday, he shows up to the rink with two different wingers on his flank every day. Blashill has given Bedard consistent running mates this year and stuck with the same lines when they've been proven to work.

For example, Bedard has found chemistry with Andre Burakovsky and Ryan Greene lately, so the Blackhawks have taken that combination and run with it. Who would've thought that allowing time for Bedard to develop synergy with his wingers would lead to progression? The impact of Blackhawks assistant coach Michael Peca should not be understated either. Having been a multi-time Selke winner as top defensive forward in the game during his playing days, Peca certainly has a major reason why Bedard has progressed when it comes to his play in all three zones this season.

Mentality

Last but not least, Bedard has shifted his mentality this season. He is visibly having fun playing the game again. The culture shift has been evident with this Blackhawks squad, and that has started at the top with Bedard. It was a near-daily event last year to see him lose his cool and take out his frustration on the bench when things were not going his way. One can't blame him; the kid wants to win and expects nothing but the best from himself every night. But that type of mentality can be exhausting in the long run, especially when you are tasked with carrying a rebuilding team in the basement.

This year, with a Blackhawks team that has an average age much closer to his, Bedard has looked refreshed; he is not alone anymore. He has teammates in a similar career situation to his own, including Frank Nazar, Sam Rinzel, and Artyom Levshunov. This is a team that will learn and grow together, and Bedard will lead this next generation of Blackhawks. If there was any question about who the future team captain would be when Nick Foligno calls it quits, Bedard has answered the call lately and proven he can be this team's future leader.