The tale of the two Connors McDavid has big hopes for Bedard.

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Ryan Hall
October 8, 2023 (4:04 PM)

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It's been a fantastic summer and a great time for the budding superstar Connor Bedard of the Blackhawks. After being drafted on May 8th, going first overall, Bedard has been on a whirlwind tour across the NHL, engaging with their fan base and garnering attention from pundits across the league.

Over the past few weeks, he's had some time to lace up his skates and show the world what he is capable of in the NHL during the preseason. These plays and games in which he participated have garnered the attention of another superstar, Connor McDavid, who shares a similar hype to Bedard when he entered the league in 2015 as the first overall draft pick for the Oilers.

During his first season, McDavid suffered an injury that cut his season short, allowing him to accumulate only 48 points in 45 games. Nevertheless, it remains an impressive stat, though it could have been even more if that injury had not occurred.

McDavid recently shared his thoughts on what he sees in Bedard as he closely watches his game in anticipation of the upcoming season.

«It's a really, really tough league, filled with grown men who have been playing for a long time. You know what? He's a genuinely special 18-year-old hockey player, and it won't take him much time to make an impact. He's that good. But I think it's important to remember that it's an exceptionally challenging league, especially at that age, and there's a lot of change happening.»

Many expect Bedard to have a great season statistically on a personal level; however, his team is in the midst of a rebuilding phase and is far from being competitive for a playoff spot.

It is widely expected that he will be the frontrunner for the Calder Trophy, which is awarded to the Rookie of the Year. Regardless of how the season unfolds, Bedard will undoubtedly give Blackhawks fans something to cheer about once again.