Can Connor Bedard be the New Face of the Franchise Right Away?

The 1st round pick in the draft is coming to Chicago, and if the hype is to be believed, he will be the one to lead the Blackhawks back to the Stanley Cup.

And there is no question the Blackhawks have had their fair share of incredible talent, with recent legends like Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews leading the charge for multiple Stanley Cup runs.

But the franchise is changing, and as Kane and Toews both near the end of their careers, Bedard seems like the natural successor to bring the team back to glory.

So where did it all start, and why is the Canadian phenom touted as a generational talent so soon?

Bedard’s Road to the NHL

Before getting drafted number one overall in the most recent NHL Draft, Bedard was already hailed as a prodigy for a long time, even though he was only born in 2005. Growing up in North Vancouver, he lived up to that expectation both in school and after shifting to being a full-time hockey player at a very young age. He was so good that in 2018, Hockey News even called him the “Future of Hockey,” and once he got selected by the Blackhawks, a number of betting promo codes in Illinois started popping up for some early NHL futures bets.

Bedard’s path to the NHL took a unique twist when he was granted exceptional player status in 2020 by Hockey Canada at the age of 15. This allowed him to enter the Western Hockey League (WHL) a year earlier than the standard age, and it put the spotlight on him again as he continued to push toward the NHL.

And that’s where he really began to show what he could do.

Upon entering the WHL with the Regina Pats, Bedard wasted no time making an impact, putting up 28 points in just 15 games before opting to play in the 2021 IIHF World U18 Championships. But that short season didn’t stop him from winning Rookie of the Year… as the youngest player in the league.

He showcased his scoring prowess, hockey IQ, and unmatched work ethic, quickly becoming one of the league’s most exciting players. Bedard’s ability to create offense was second to none, and his highlight-reel goals became a regular occurrence as crowds started growing anytime the Pats were playing with Bedard on the ice.

So when he hit 100 points in his next WHL season and 143 points the season after, it was no surprise that just about every award was scooped up and put on what will likely be a very full trophy case soon.

Successfully Tanking for Bedard

The Chicago Blackhawks have been in the middle of a long rebuild, with stars plagued by injury limiting any real chances to compete in the past few seasons. And with a playoff trade sending Patrick Kane to the NY Rangers for a first-round draft pick in the coming years, things are definitely moving in the right direction to build around a new face of the franchise.

So that lottery ball bringing the #1 pick to the Windy City was the perfect turn of events. Bedard’s electrifying style of play and undeniable skill set made him the ideal choice to lead the franchise into a new era. And he is already in good company as the second overall first pick for the Blackhawks, with the other being Patrick Kane in 2007.

Given his ability to transition into high-level hockey despite being so young, the Blackhawks will undoubtedly be expecting great things from the young Canadian phenom right away. They will be looking to build a supporting cast around him to effectively develop his talent to contend for the Cup in a few years.