One burning question Blackhawks fans never dreamed they’d be asking in April

Chicago Blackhawks fans thought they’d see the following occur during the 2024-25 season:

• Connor Bedard ending the year as the clear-cut points leader
• The Blackhawks at least playing respectable hockey
• Significant strides made by younger players

Now that it’s April 2025, you can argue that none of the above will occur. As I write this on Wednesday afternoon, Ryan Donato, not Connor Bedard, is the points leader. Ryan Donato, and not Connor Bedard, is leading the team in goals. And Ryan Donato, and not Connor Bedard, looks like the best overall player on this hockey team. 

Back in September, nobody would’ve called that. And if anyone suggested Donato of all players would potentially end the season leading all Blackhawks skaters in points, everyone in the NHL universe would have made sure you ended up covering another sport before the puck first dropped in October. 

In other words, they would’ve laughed you out of covering hockey. But here we are, acknowledging the fact Donato may edge out the still-inconsistent Bedard. 

Blackhawks fans never thought they’d ask a certain burning question

Will Connor Bedard ever transform into the player everyone advertised him to be two years ago? There, that’s the question, and while I already gave an opinion on what his floor is in the NHL, I’ll also concede that Bedard was supposed to be so much more than this. 

He was supposed to be at least somewhere in the neighborhood of Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid, and through two seasons, he’s fallen well short of the mark. Okay, but he’s on a bad hockey team, so it was expected, right?

If Donato ends up leading this team in points, then it’s hard to make that argument. Donato was never known for his points productivity, so if he can end the year leading the Blackhawks in points, then a player of Bedard’s caliber should’ve had no problem finishing the season with more than a 0.78-points per-game pace. 

Connor Bedard must end the season strong or else faith will backslide

Even if Connor Bedard’s potential didn’t fully materialize this season, even I would’ve given the benefit of the doubt that things wouldn’t have gotten this dire. He’s still averaging fewer points per game than he did last season for what, at least on paper, figured to be a better hockey team. That’s inexcusable. 

Yeah, he’s a solid player no matter what, and if you find enough of them in Chicago, he’ll be part of some eventual championship-caliber teams. But as a former number-one pick slated to elevate everyone around him and take over hockey games, he was supposed to show those traits this season. At most, he’s given fans flashes, but just about anyone is capable of that. 

So, Bedard’s been a disappointment overall this season, and nobody would’ve thought he’d be in a battle with Ryan Donato for the team lead in points heading into the season’s final lap. But here we are, watching the unthinkable play out. Maybe Bedard will enjoy a hot streak to end the year and surpass Donato at some point in these final few games. But even then, has he already caused a few Blackhawks fans to start second-guessing him?