Connor Bedard playing starring role in surprising start for the Chicago Blackhawks

CHICAGO (AP) – Connor Bedard called his first goal “extremely lucky.” He highlighted Ryan Greene’s cross-ice pass on his second goal. He talked about committing a turnover right before his third goal for the Chicago Blackhawks.

The 20-year-old center tried his best to share the spotlight, but his teammates were having none of it.

“He’s really, obviously, coming into his own right now,” Chicago forward Ryan Donato said.

It sure looks that way.

Bedard has seven goals and six assists in his last six games after he recorded his second career hat trick in Chicago’s 5-2 victory over Calgary on Tuesday night. He got his first one when he had three goals and an assist in a 7-3 win over Ottawa on Oct. 28.

The No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NHL draft has 13 goals and 16 assists in 19 games this season. He scored his 13th goal last season in his 45th game on Jan. 16.

“What I like the most about it is the consistency in his approach,” coach Jeff Blashill said. “And you know points do come and go; for a guy like him, they come more than they go. But his consistency in his approach has been really good.”

Led by Bedard, it looks as if Chicago is on the way out of a painful rebuilding process. The Blackhawks are 5-0-1 in their last six games and 10-5-4 overall. They didn’t get their 10th win last season until Dec. 15.

“We’re just really determined, and have a lot of fun together,” Bedard said. “We love each other and we want to play for each other.”

Bedard was just 18 when he made his highly anticipated NHL debut in 2023. He was heralded as the new face of the Blackhawks, and he won the Calder Trophy as the league’s rookie of the year. He had 23 goals and 44 assists while appearing in all 82 games in his second season.

By any objective measure, it was an impressive transition for a teenager adjusting to life in the NHL. But the Blackhawks kept losing while Bedard was chased by the expectations that were placed on him long before he entered the league.

That seems like a long time ago at the moment.

“I don’t think there’s a lot of guys in the league that could say they’ve had the same experiences, you know, as he has,” Donato said. “Obviously he’s got a lot more pressure than a lot of people in this league. And you wouldn’t know it if you were on the team with him. He’s fun to be around the locker room and one of the hardest workers.”

With captain Nick Foligno and fellow forward Jason Dickinson sidelined by injuries, Bedard served as an alternate captain for the matchup with Calgary.

“The refs were way nicer to me today – way nicer,” a smiling Bedard said. “I didn’t get kicked out of a draw for the first time in my career.”

Showing off his improved speed, Bedard got his first goal against the Flames with 4:49 left in the second period.

Sam Rinzel chipped the puck out of Chicago’s defensive zone, and Bedard took off. After Dustin Wolf whiffed on a clearing attempt, Bedard touched a backhand between the goaltender’s legs while fighting off Calgary defenseman Yan Kuznetsov.

The game was tied at 2 when Bedard pulled the puck inside of Calgary defenseman Kevin Bahl’s stick before ripping a shot over Wolf’s right shoulder at 4:57 of the third period.

“Obviously any goals, made by other people,” Bedard said. “So they did a lot of work on that one. And the first one as well, (Rinzel) makes a great play.”

Bedard added an empty-netter in the final minute from the other end of the ice, delighting the United Center crowd of 17,518. He became the fourth player in franchise history with multiple hat tricks before age 21, joining Alex DeBrincat (three), Jeremy Roenick (three) and Bobby Hull (two).

“I think what he’s doing right now is huge and it’s obviously huge for our team, but it’s something that he can keep doing,” forward Oliver Moore said. “I think the way he’s playing both sides of the puck, it’s leadership.”