Connor Bedard embracing Chicago spotlight despite Chicago Blackhawks' struggles

Connor Bedard's second season in the NHL has been a slump.

However, the 19-year-old remains unfazed despite the hatred and calls from fans urging him to return to his hometown of Vancouver.

In a recent 21-minute one-on-one interview with CHSN Blackhawks analyst Tony Granato, Bedard addressed the team's struggles, handling the pressure of leading a rebuilding team, and his vision for Chicago's future.

"I Love It Here"

Despite everything going on with the Blackhawks, Bedard is happy to be on the team.

"I love playing here. I love being in this city," Bedard said. "I feel so fortunate to be here every day. We're going to keep getting better, and I think the fans should be excited."

Even with the team's struggles, Bedard still has that "Mamba Mentality" and that fans still have a lot too look forward too in the rebuild.

Blocking out the Noise

As the face of a rebuilding franchise near the bottom of the standings, Bedard has faced heavy criticism in his sophomore season. Still, he refuses to let outside noise affect his game.

"I couldn't really care less," Bedard said on his performance. "If I make a mistake, I know. I don't need to watch a TNT broadcast to figure out if I made a mistake."

Bedard, who's expected to be the next Sidney Crosby or Connor McDavid, holds himself accountable. But his frustrations have boiled over at times.

He received back-to-back 10-minute game misconducts in road games against San Jose and Vancouver, appearing to be irate with the officials over missed calls or penalties drawn against him. He admitted he had to be "smarter with his words" when interacting with officials.

After receiving his second straight 10-minute game misconduct against Vancouver, Bedard threw his helmet as he headed to the locker room.

His emotions showed his relentless drive and pursuit to win--something the Blackhawks need as they build toward the future.

Embracing the Rebuild

Rebuilds take time, and the Blackhawks are no exception. While fans hate seeing the team struggle, Bedard understands the process.

"I think you've got to realize it's a process, but when we're going out there, we're trying to win. We're expected to win," he said. "Obviously, you're going to be frustrated when you're not doing that, but when you kind of sit back--especially this year--seeing younger guys come up, make an impact, and build relationships, you see what we're working toward. We're not where we want to be in the standings, but if we keep growing, we'll be competing."

The Blackhawks have at least 11 players aged 23 or younger on their roster. Bedard told Granato that if the team can "learn as much as we can throughout these first few years of our careers, we're going to get better."

The Blackhawks are not where they want to be, but Bedard is confident in the team's future and his role in leading them back to playoff contention.

For Blackhawks fans, this season may be frustrating. But with the help of Bedard and the team contributing more, their struggles will turn into success. The road ahead will not be easy, but with their young talented team, the future remains bright in Chicago.

As the Blackhawks continue on with their rebuild, one thing is certain: Connor Bedard isn't going anywhere. He is here to stay, and help the Blackhawks through their darkest times.