CHICAGO -- Connor Bedard has had several different linemates since making his NHL debut with the Chicago Blackhawks on Oct. 10.
But the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft has had stability around him of late, with Nick Foligno on his left wing and Philipp Kurashev on his right. The three have found cohesion and look to keep it going against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Amalie Arena in Tampa on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; BSSUN, NBCSCH, TVAS-D).
"It's been good," Bedard said. "We're building chemistry, of course. Two really good players, it's been fun. We've got our chances and everything, so just trying to build on that."
Bedard has seven points (five goals, two assists) in 11 games. Three goals have come in the five games since he's teamed with Foligno and Kurashev. Foligno joined the top line beginning with a 3-0 loss to the Boston Bruins on Oct. 24. Kurashev moved there late in the third period in place of Tyler Johnson, his season debut after missing the first six games with a left wrist injury. Bedard began the season with left wing Taylor Hall, Ryan Donato to his left and right, and right wings Johnson and Taylor Raddysh.
Foligno joked that he is Bedard and Kurashev's hockey dad when they're on the ice.
"I think we feel there are still more plays to be made in some aspect but we're also understanding as a line when to do that," Foligno said. "I'm trying to make sure we understand that a little bit. They want to go, go, go and here are points in a game, especially when sometimes when nothing's happening on the ice is a win, in some aspect.
"So, it's trying to teach them that. Where Connor's coming from (the Western Hockey League), if he wasn't creating something every shift, it was a disappointment. That's been probably the little struggle for us as a group, but otherwise, I think we a really enjoy playing together and we've created a lot. If you look at the games, we've created a lot of chances. Now it's just about burying a lot of them."
Bedard has 12 shots on goal in those five games. He had two in the previous two combined. Foligno has one goal and one assist, and Kurashev has four points (two goals, two assists), three (one goal, two assists) coming in Chicago's 5-2 win against the Florida Panthers on Saturday.
"Nick and 'Kurshy,' not that Connor doesn't do the work, but those guys are experienced," Blackhawks coach Luke Richardson said, "and they know how to do some work and get in on the forecheck and do stuff at this level and are in his ear on the bench. Like, 'This is where I'm going to be, and this is where we want you to be if we do some of this work and get you some opportunities.'
"I think we saw it a couple of times on the forecheck (in a 4-2 loss to the New Jersey Devils on Sunday), once in the first period when Connor had a nice low chance and Nick chased a guy out from behind the net, stole the puck and Connor was right in that soft spot. the goalie had to lunge and make a shoulder save. He had some good looks from his linemates last game, so I think good players seem to build chemistry fast. That's what's happened there."
Bedard and Foligno have gotten to know each other well since the summer, when Foligno texted the 18-year-old frequently. Bedard and Kurashev have been building communication more recently. It's working.
"He's really smart," Bedard said of Kurashev. "He sees the ice so well and he's willing to go get the puck and, out of the corner, [he's] making the quick play and just seeing where guys are. It's really impressive to see that. He's been a lot of fun to play with, and we talk on the bench about plays we think we could do or whatever. That adds onto the chemistry."
Foligno said it's also good for Bedard to find some line stability.
"Look at all the great players who play," he said. "They always have their [usual] linemates and guys they play with. It's not to say any guy couldn't play with him and I'm sure the lines will get juggled up as we go here, but any time you can find consistency, first it usually means your team has found consistency. That's most important.
"Sometimes it's not so much the line but what it means for the whole group. When your team's not having to juggle lines, that's a really good sign. That's something we're working toward."
