Does Chicago Blackhawks star Connor Bedard deserve the hate and criticism he's getting?

Connor Bedard has received a lot of criticism and hate for his work ethic.

The criticism has come from Hockey Hall of Famer and six-time Stanley Cup Champion Mark Messier, former NHLer and current TNT analyst Paul "Biz" Bissonnette, and other former NHLer and current ESPN analyst PK Subban.

But the BIG question is "Does he deserve this hate?"

During the first intermission of the Blackhawks game against the Panthers--a 5-1 loss for Chicago, Mark Messier didn't hold back.

After Bedard lost the puck battle to Sam Reinhart, leading to a Florida goal, Messier called him "soft on the puck" and said, "The excuses for a young player are over."

Subban backed up Messier, comparing Bedard to Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid, and Nathan MacKinnon when they were young hockey players in the NHL.

He also pointed out the difference between John Tortorella's tough, aggressive coaching style with Matvei Michkov in Philadelphia to Anders Sorensen's approach with Connor Bedard.

That was a different time and age for those players. Connor Bedard is on a rebuilding, struggling Blackhawks team and is the only one doing something productive. He leads the team in assists (31) and points (46).

After that, Paul Bissonnette shared his thoughts on Bedard's play being "soft" and called it "pond hockey."

Why Shouldn't Connor Bedard Deserve This Hate?

Connor Bedard is the face of the Blackhawks franchise. He is 19 years old, playing on a struggling Chicago Blackhawks team, and carrying much of the offensive load.

Mark Messier is undoubtedly one of the greatest hockey players of all time and certainly had a heck of a career in the NHL. Messier played alongside hockey legends and Hall of Famers Wayne Gretzky and Jari Kurri. Bedard, on the other hand, doesn't have that kind of support. It's just him.

PK Subban had a great hockey career as well. He won the Norris Trophy and went all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals with the Predators.

And Paul Bissonnette? Great guy but his NHL career is nowhere close to Connor Bedard. So far, Bedard has 37 career goals and 107 points to Bissonnette's seven goals and 22 points.

Bedard's Response.

Despite all the hatred and negative comments, the 19-year-old phenom doesn't seem too concerned in the media.

"I know if I messed up a play," Bedard said. "It's their job to point that out or say how they feel about something. But if I make a mistake, I know. I don't need to watch a TNT broadcast to figure out if I made a mistake. I'm going to know."

That response says it all. He holds himself accountable for his style of play and doesn't need retired hockey players nitpicking every misstep.

So does Connor Bedard deserve criticism? No. Does he need to improve his play? I think so. There are a few things to clean up. Does he deserve this level of hate and scrutiny? Absolutely not.

Bedard is on his way to become the next superstar player. It takes time and patience. It doesn't happen overnight.