Bedard getting advice from McDavid ahead of NHL rookie season

Connor Bedard is preparing for his first NHL season, and to help that process he's getting advice from the player he's most often compared to: Connor McDavid.

"He says a lot of good stuff and he's obviously one of, if not the best player in the world," Bedard said Tuesday. "That's someone I've been able to be a sponge with and ask some questions."

Bedard, selected by the Chicago Blackhawks with the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, is participating in the 2023 BioSteel NHL Camp in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He's expected to make this NHL debut when the Blackhawks open the season at the Pittsburgh Penguins on Oct. 10.

For now though, he's taking advantage of the time he's getting to spend with McDavid, the No. 1 pick by the Edmonton Oilers in the 2015 NHL Draft and considered by the many the best player in the League.

"Nothing crazy specific I'll say, but there are definitely some things he said on what to expect and everything," Bedard said. "Obviously it's not an easy League. It's the best League in the world. But I think it's just preparing yourself the best you can, and I feel I've done that this summer. I've worked really hard and tried to improve myself every day. That's all you can really do leading up to camp."

The 18-year-old led the Western Hockey League in goals (71), points (143), shots on goal (360), points per game (2.51) and goals per game (1.24) in 57 regular-season games with Regina last season. Bedard tied for the WHL lead in assists (72) and game-winning goals (11).

He already is being talked about as the face of the future for the Blackhawks, who will enter this season without former captain Jonathan Toews and forward Patrick Kane for the first time since the 2007-08 season.

It's a lot to ask of an 18-year-old.

McDavid certainly knows the pressure that awaits Bedard. Each was a highly touted forward prospect entering his respective draft season and each was selected by teams trying to return to past glory.

The Oilers have won the Stanley Cup five times, the last coming in 1990, but had missed the playoffs nine straight seasons when McDavid arrived for the 2015-16 season. The Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup in 2010, 2013 and 2015, but have made the Stanley Cup Playoffs once the past six seasons (2020).

Asked if McDavid gave him advice on managing expectations, Bedard said, "I don't know. For myself and him as well, we both just love the game so much and I think if you're worried about what other people are saying and what you guys write about me or whatever, I'm trying to pursue a dream and I think obviously there's pressure from the outside.

"I want to do well. I'm hard on myself and expect a lot from myself. But I think pressure goes away when you're just doing what you love and hoping to be playing in the League I've dreamed of playing for 18 years now. So I wouldn't think of outside noise too much."

McDavid has 850 points (303 goals, 547 assists) in 569 games with the Oilers. He's finished with 100 or more points in six of his eight NHL seasons, including last season when led the League with 153 (64 goals, 89 assists) in 82 games. He's won the Art Ross Trophy as the League's leading scorer five times and the Hart Trophy as NHL most valuable player three times, among his individual accolades.

So does Bedard think he can reach McDavid's production?

"You never want to be like, 'Oh I can't do this,'" Bedard said. "I don't think that mindset is great. But I'm not him and I'm my own person, my own player. I think he's the pinnacle right now and you're like, 'This guy is the best or one of the best. How can I get closer to him?'

"That's such a great thing in sports is you're always competing against guys, competing against teams and you want to win. For me to get to spend time with him, be on the ice with him and just try to compete with him, he's obviously unbelievable. You can barely talk about his stats because they're so ridiculous. But for me, it's trying to be my own player and the best I can be."

Bedard soon will begin to walk his own NHL path. The nerves are there, but so is the eagerness.

"Your dream and lifelong goal is to play in the NHL and be an impact player in the NHL and that's what I want to do," he said. "For me, it's just about training, going to camp and earning my spot on the team.

"Of course I want to be a good player and be making a difference and I want to win. That's like anyone in the League. Of course there's some nerves, but there's so much excitement just to get there and get going."