Rookies-20230914-66

After attending the NHL Player Media Tour this week, Connor Bedard made his first appearance at the Blackhawks’ rookie camp on Thursday at Fifth Third Ice Arena.

Instead of sitting out in this week’s 2023 Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase in Minnesota, the 18-year-old forward is looking forward to participating in the tournament. For him, he feels it can help him prepare for next week’s training camp and a chance to try and earn a spot on the Blackhawks’ roster.

“I think that's what will get me ready [for training camp],” Bedard said. “I haven't played a game in a long time and that's what I want to do. I'm a rookie like any other guy here, so I want to play a game so bad because it's been so long, so I'm really excited for that.”

Rockford IceHogs head coach Anders Sorensen heard about Bedard’s motivation to be on the ice but witnessed it for the first time on Thursday in practice.

One of the biggest impacts that Sorensen noticed came from Bedard and defenseman Wyatt Kaiser. The two showcased how they want to put their best foot forward and be the first players to lead on the ice.

“He's 18 years old and he wants to come in and make an impression on everybody in the whole world,” Sorensen said. “So, he wants to play and from what I gathered, he seems like he just wants to be on the ice, so I give him a lot of credit.”

With a hectic schedule following the 2023 NHL Draft, the Vancouver native enjoyed some down time where he spent with family and friends back home before the start of rookie camp.

Now as he prepares for the upcoming prospect tournament, he also looks forward to going back to his regular routine of playing hockey again. From there, he can focus on his game but also build a strong connection with other players as well.

“I love being in a routine where I get up, go to the rink and kind of be with the same guys every day and build those relationships and work towards a common goal of being a better team and winning games of course,” Bedard said. “That's really exciting for all of us.”

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      Bedard talks on rookie camp and NHL Player Media Tour

      While the prospects briefly met back in July for the team’s development camp, Bedard noted that it’s not just an opportunity to showcase your talent but also see the growth of others’ as well. 

      “Today, it was good to kind of grow those relationships and everyone's just of course so excited to kind of be starting their journey off and maybe growing up together in this organization,” Bedard said.