Connor Bedard's low ranking on The Athletic's player tiers list is all due to Kyle Davidson

When the Chicago Blackhawks won the NHL Draft Lottery in 2023, the belief among the fanbase was that Connor Bedard would help propel the team out of their rebuild and back into Stanley Cup contention. Bedard is about to enter his fourth season, with not a single playoff appearance to his credit. This is not what the team or the fanbase had in mind.

This isn't an indictment on Bedard, as he has done as much as he could to help carry a less than stellar roster in a tough Western Conference. This is thanks in part to Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson, the one who put together the rosters in Bedard's first three seasons.

But now, there are questions surrounding Bedard's long-term outlook in the NHL.

Connor Bedard ranks low on The Athletic's NHL player tier list

The Athletic recently unveiled their player tier rankings before the upcoming season, with the five writers dicussing with 20 people in the hockey world. Bedard didn't make in the "MVP" and "franchise player" tiers. Instead, Bedard was in the third tier, designated for a top 60 player who "may not be the best player on a contender." One of the main issues brought up was Bedard's defensive game, with the panel's concern being whether it is a Bedard issue or a roster construction issue.

"Without the puck on his stick, though, is a very different story. Yes, it’s hard to defend well on a team as poorly constructed as Chicago. But while there’s been a rise in compete, the flaws in Bedard’s defensive game remain too significant to warrant the franchise status his offensive game arguably merits," The Athletic blurb reads.

It is surprising to see that Bedard isn't viewed as one of the league's best players, especially alongside the likes of young stars Macklin Celebrini or Matthew Schaefer. But the reality is, the defensive metrics aren't too great for Bedard.

When looking at his three years of work in Chicago, Bedard's plus/minus rating has improved, but he is still in the negative territory. After putting up a minus-44 in the 2023-24 season and a minus-36 in the 2024-25 season, Bedard "improved" by putting up a minus-18. Those are not the greatest numbers, especially since Bedard is a top-liner. That means he's been on the ice plenty of times when the opposition scores.

Again, that is an indictment of the roster Davidson put forth. The defense, statistically, was brutal. The Blackhawks allowed an average of 3.29 goals per game, which ranks as the sixth-worst in the league. Additionally, Chicago allowed 198 five-on-five goals, which is the third-most in the league.

Kyle Davidson needs to bank on Blackhawks' offseason moves panning out, for Connor Bedard's sake

The fact that a player that was as highly sought after as Bedard hasn't experienced any sort of success through three seasons is unideal. The onus needed to be placed on Davidson to do what, say, the San Jose Sharks did with Celebrini. That's bring in top players and difference-making talent.

Davidson, to his credit, did make some splash moves, but they were far from universally praised. Chicago's biggest need was to bring in a defenseman. With the fourth-overall pick in this year's NHL Draft, they had the chance to draft the likes of Chase Reid, Alberts Smits, or Carson Carels. Instead, Davidson opted to trade that pick away to the Buffalo Sabres to acquire Bowen Byram. The move was shocking, considering Byram was due for a new contract and that his defensive metrics were far from stellar. Yet, that still classifies as a big move by Davidson to see if he can improve the defense. It is officially a $75 million gamble. On paper, Chicago's defense should be better.

Then, Davidson made a move that won over the majority of the Blackhawks fanbase, and that was to bring back franchise icon Patrick Kane. After trading him away in 2023 to the New York Rangers, and watching him play the past two seasons with the rival Detroit Red Wings, Kane is back in Chicago. The one complaint of the Kane signing is that they are giving him $16 million over two years, at this stage of his career.

Davidson has been entrusted to put the best players around Bedard. It's entirely possible that Byram and Kane can do wonders to take Bedard's game to another level. Granted, it could see a ressult on offensive production. Bedard is obviously sold on the team's moves, especially considering they gave him a five-year, $75 million contract extension.

Either way, the Blackhawks fanbase is hoping that the team can finally take a significant step in the right direction, right into a playoff spot. The moves that Davidson made better result in Bedard projecting as a better player.

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