Connor Bedard, the No. 1 pick by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2023 NHL Draft, has taken the NHL by storm 24 weeks into his professional career. Each Monday, NHL.com will take a look at what Bedard has done and what’s ahead for him with the Connor Bedard watch.
WHAT HE’S DONE
Bedard had two assists in three games last week. He leads the Blackhawks and all NHL rookies with 55 points (21 goals, 34 assists) in 57 games. Minnesota Wild defenseman Brock Faber is second among rookies with 40 points (seven goals, 33 assists) in 71 games, and New Jersey Devils defenseman Luke Hughes is third with 39 points (eight goals, 31 assists) in 72 games. Bedard also is averaging 0.96 points per game and has 177 shots on goal, most among rookies and the Blackhawks.
WHAT’S AHEAD THIS WEEK
The Blackhawks have one home game before hitting the road again. They play the Calgary Flames at United Center on Tuesday (8:30 p.m. ET; NBCSCH, SN1), then face the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; RDS2, TSN5, NBCSCH+) and the Philadelphia Flyers at Wells Fargo Center on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; NBCSP, NBCSCH).
MOST INTRIGUING MATCHUP
Bedard vs. Stutzle
It’s two of the elite young centers going against each other when the Blackhawks play the Senators. Tim Stützle, the No. 3 pick by the Senators in the 2020 NHL Draft, leads them with 68 points (18 goals, 50 assists) in 70 games. That includes a goal and two assists in Ottawa’s 5-3 win against the Edmonton Oilers on Sunday. Stutzle is the fifth player in Senators history to have back-to-back 50-assist seasons; defenseman Erik Karlsson was the most recent, doing it in three straight seasons from 2015-18. In their first meeting, in Chicago on Feb. 17, Stutzle and Bedard each had two points (one goal, one assist each) in the Blackhawks’ 3-2 win. It should be fun to see these two square off again.
MOST ANTICIPATED GAME
Blackhawks vs. Flyers
Every point is critical for the Philadelphia Flyers (36-27-9). They’re third in the Metropolitan Division, two points ahead of the fourth-place Washington Capitals (35-26-9), who defeated the Winnipeg Jets 3-0 on Sunday to inch closer. The Capitals have two games in hand. Captain Sean Couturier returned to Philadelphia’s lineup in a 3-2 win against the Boston Bruins on Saturday after he was a healthy scratch the previous two games. It’ll be the second meeting between the teams; Bedard had three shots on goal in 24:49 of ice time when the Flyers defeated the Blackhawks 3-1 at United Center on Feb. 21.
EDGE STAT OF THE WEEK
Bedard is in the 90th percentile in speed bursts of 18-20 miles per hour, despite missing more than a month because of a fractured jaw. He is in the 74th percentile for top speed (22.73 mph).
THEY SAID IT
“I feel pretty good. I think we’re just kind of playing games and you get in that routine of almost every other day you’re going. It’s a lot of fun, just always playing. Frustrating with the amount of losing, but you’re just always trying to improve and chasing that every day is a lot of fun.” -- Bedard on his transition to the NHL this season
