-
Follow Us
On Facebook
On Flipboard
On Twitter
Connor Bedard has played a lot of hockey over the last few years as he transitioned from a highly-touted prospect to a budding star in the NHL. The Chicago Blackhawks’ star rookie might have more ice time on his plate after the NHL’s regular season concludes after Team Canada contacted Bedard to gauge his interest in playing in this year’s IIHF World Championship, per Pierre LeBrun.
Team Canada’s general manager for the tournament, former NHL winger Rick Nash, reached out to Bedard as the possible jumping-off point for building the roster. LeBrun said that Nash has only tried to recruit Bedard and Anaheim Ducks forward Mason McTavish so far as only five NHL teams have been officially eliminated from playoff contention.
There is no word yet on whether Bedard will accept the invitation but LeBrun said it will likely happen. He also mentioned that Team Canada could ask future Hall of Fame center Sidney Crosby to play in the world championship. What a sight that would be for hockey fans if Bedard and Crosby share the ice as teammates.
Connor Bedard’s history with Team Canada
Bedard is no stranger to representing his country on the international stage. The 18-year-old played for Team Canada at four junior tournaments, including two World Junior Championships in 2022 and 2023.
He was the seventh 16-year-old to play for Team Canada at the World Junior Championship when he did so in the 2022 edition of the tournament. He followed that with a 23-point performance in the tournament the next year, leading Canada to its 20th gold medal at the World Juniors.
Bedard set numerous records for Canada at the World Juniors, setting the team’s mark for most career goals and points at the tournament with 17 and 36, respectively. He also broke Jaromir Jagr’s 33-year record for most points in a single World Juniors tournament by a player under the age of 19.
Impressive rookie season nearing its end
Connor Bedard has been what he was expected to be in his first NHL season. The generational talent is a nearly point-per-game player with a chance to make that a reality as the Blackhawks have seven games left. Not even a broken jaw could slow him down with his numbers improving since he returned from the injury.
Following a six-week absence, Bedard has 25 points in 22 games. Overall in 61 games, he has 58 points on 21 goals and 37 assists, leading NHL rookies in all three marks despite missing 14 games. He’s expected to be named the Calder Trophy winner as the league’s top rookie this season.
Unfortunately for the Blackhawks, Bedard’s burst onto the professional stage hasn’t resulted in much success for Chicago as a team. The Blackhawks are eliminated from playoff contention with the league’s second-worst record and have scored the second-fewest goals. This marks the fourth consecutive season Chicago missed the playoffs and the sixth in the last seven seasons.
The goal for the Blackhawks this year wasn’t to win and they at least know that Bedard is the real deal which should help drive their rebuild in the right direction. They’ll perhaps grab another young talent with a high pick in this year’s draft.
Hockey diehards in the Windy City probably don’t want this season to end though, because it means they’ll have to wait to see Connor Bedard play again. That wait might not be very long though if the phenom decides to don the red maple leaf for Team Canada at the world championship in May.
More must-reads:
- Rangers special teams, goaltending help them take control against Hurricanes
- Watch: Overtime goal completes Avalanche's comeback in 4-3 win over Stars
- The 'Leading scorers from the 1992-93 NBA season' quiz
Breaking News
Customize Your Newsletter
+
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!
