CHICAGO -- Connor Bedard is a big fan of Patrick Kane, and the rookie center is not surprised the former Chicago Blackhawks forward’s patented “heartbreaker” celebration is still popular more than 10 years after Kane first did it.
“I think when you pioneer something it’s pretty cool, so whenever someone does it, it’s always traced back to him, which I think is pretty sweet,” Bedard said Tuesday.
Kane first did the celebration, drawing a heart in the air before punching it, when he completed a hat trick in a 4-3 double-overtime win against the Los Angeles Kings in Game 5 of the Western Conference Final on June 8, 2013.
Bedard paid homage to Kane with his own “heartbreaker” celebration when he scored the winning goal in Canada’s 4-3 overtime victory against Slovakia in the quarterfinals of the IIHF World Junior Championship on Jan. 2, 2022.
“He's had some cool cellys in his years,” Bedard said of Kane. “He’s an icon in the game. He’s someone who’s going to be remembered forever and he’s still playing at such an elite level.”
Bedard, the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, has become the face of the Blackhawks, much like Kane and former captain Jonathan Toews were when they made their debuts in the 2007-08 season. Kane, now with the Detroit Red Wings, and Bedard will face each other for the first time when Chicago hosts Detroit at United Center on Sunday (6 p.m. ET; BSDET, NHLN, NBCSCH, SN).
Kane was the No. 1 pick by the Blackhawks in the 2007 NHL Draft and played 16 seasons for them until they traded him to the New York Rangers in a three-way deal that included the Arizona Coyotes on Feb. 28, 2023. The 35-year-old had hip resurfacing surgery June 1 and after recovering signed a one-year, $2.75 million contract with the Red Wings on Nov. 28.
Kane has 1,263 points (462 goals, 801 assists) in 1,206 NHL games with the Blackhawks, Rangers and Red Wings, including 1,225 points (446 goals, 779 assists) in 1,161 regular-season games with Chicago, which he helped win the Stanley Cup in 2010, 2013 and 2015.
He has 26 points (11 goals, 15 assists) in 26 games for Detroit (31-20-6), which holds the first wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference.
Bedard leads all NHL rookies with 39 points (17 goals, 22 assists) in 44 games. He missed nearly six weeks with a fractured jaw sustained Jan. 5 on a hit from New Jersey Devils defenseman Brendan Smith in the first period of a 4-2 loss.
The 18-year-old returned Thursday in a 4-1 loss against the Pittsburgh Penguins and got six points (two goals, four assists) in three games before being held without a point in a 3-1 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday and a 3-2 overtime loss to the Winnipeg Jets on Friday.
As much as Bedard’s looking forward to playing against Kane, he’s anticipating something else more.
“I’m just pumped for the video tribute,” Bedard said. “I think it’s going to be pretty nasty; he had some sick highlights here. I’ve watched every one of his [highlight reels] probably 100 times, with his stuff. So, I’m pumped for that.”
