Connor Bedard is Much More than the Stat Sheet.

Connor Bedard has been the focus of the hockey world for years now. He has been watched since he was 12 and was compared to Sidney Crosby at age 13. He has lived up to those expectations and in many cases exceeded them. This past year was dubbed the Connor Bedard sweepstakes. There were a number of teams playing, but ultimately the Chicago Blackhawks won the sweepstakes.

There is no question that Bedard has the goods when it comes to offense. The kid can simply score and produce points. In 57 games last season with the Regina Pats, Bedard notched 143 points. He scored 71 goals and added 72 assists. In the 2023 World Juniors, Bedard posted 23 points in just seven games. He scored nine times with 14 assists. He is a human highlight reel.

Of course the talk is all about Bedard being the second coming of Connor McDavid..... or Sidney Crosby. Hockey minds have determined that Bedard is not as good as Connor McDavid because he can't skate like McDavid. Of course he can't skate like McDavid. No one skates like McDavid. He is in a class by himself. But don't worry Hawks fans, Connor Bedard brings so much more to the table.

Faceoff Percentage

Connor Bedard is so much more than points. He is a complete player. last year for Regina, Bedard won 693 faceoffs for a 54% win percentage. Jonathan Toews has retired and he led the Hawks year after year in this statistic. Going forward this will be huge. Controlling the offensive zone faceoffs is essential for maximizing points while winning in the defensive zone cuts down time defending. Bedard will help his own cause on both ends of the ice.

Physicality

Another facet of Bedard's game that get's lost is his physicality. Yes, he's only 5'10" and 185 pounds, but he is physically strong. He is not afraid to lay a hit, and he has stressed a multi-dimensional game for a few years. Here are two examples of Bedard going out of his way to lay a hit rather than avoiding it like many goal scorers. In the first, the play turns defensive and Bedard lays a hit on an unsuspecting defenseman.

Here is another one of Bedard laying out a defenseman who tried to halt his play. On the rush, Bedard is charging down ice against two defenseman. Bedard charges forward and lays out the defender.

Character

Finally, Connor Bedard is oozing with confidence and character. Coming into the NHL Combine, there was no reason for Bedard to compete. He had nothing to gain, but could look human with a poor performance. Three of the top five prospects felt this way and didn't compete. Connor Bedard showed up. He competed. He spoke to the press. All in all, it was a great weekend. Bedard didn't fare especially well in most categories, but that didn't matter. After all, those exercises have little relevance to what happens on the ice, but actually speak to the character and determination of the athlete.

All said, Chicago has a special athlete in Connor Bedard. He is a physical specimen. He has a strong game on both ends of the ice. He is smart. He is passionate. He is a team player. Connor Bedard is the kind of player that a team builds around. He is the heir apparent to Jonathan Toews. And not only that, he has a great sense of humor and understands his position. Watch him play with Bissonnette.