Connor Bedard, the No. 1 pick by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2023 NHL Draft, has taken the NHL by storm 25 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 57 points (21 goals, 36 assists) in 60 games. With his assist in a 5-1 win against the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday, Bedard joined Artemi Panarin (22 goals, 35 assists), Steve Larmer (28 goals, 29 assists) and Denis Savard (23 goals, 34 assists) for most points by a Blackhawks rookie through 60 games. New Jersey Devils defenseman Luke Hughes (nine goals, 32 assists) and Minnesota Wild defenseman Brock Faber (seven goals, 34 assists) are tied for second among rookies with 41 points each.
WHAT'S AHEAD THIS WEEK
The Blackhawks wrap up their three-game road trip before returning home for a back-to-back weekend set. They visit the New York Islanders at UBS Arena on Tuesday (7:30 p.m. ET; MSGSN2, NBCSCH), then return to United Center to play the Dallas Stars on Saturday (3:30 p.m. ET; BSSW, NBCSCH) and Wild on Sunday (3:30 p.m. ET; BSWIX, BSN, NBCSCH+).
MOST INTRIGUING MATCHUP
Bedard vs. Barzal
This is a matchup that had to wait the first time around because of injury. Bedard missed Chicago's 4-3 overtime win against New York at United Center on Jan. 19 with a fractured jaw sustained against the Devils on Jan. 5. Prior to the game against the Islanders, Mathew Barzal said he's known Bedard since the latter was 12 or 13 years old and he's followed Bedard closely this season. Both grew up in British Columbia, and the two skate together during the offseason. Barzal had an assist in the loss to the Blackhawks and leads the Islanders with 74 points (23 goals, 51 assists) in 72 games.
MOST ANTICIPATED GAME
Blackhawks vs. Wild
The Wild (35-29-9) are in a tough spot with their Stanley Cup Playoff hopes dwindling. They are eight points behind the Los Angeles Kings for the second wild card into the playoffs from the Western Conference. They lost 2-1 in overtime to the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday but since they pulled goalie Filip Gustavsson for an extra attacker, they forfeited the point they would've gained by reaching OT. The Wild are 2-2-1 in their past five games and could miss the playoffs for the first time since 2018-19. Bedard has played the Wild once this season, getting an assist in a 4-1 loss at Xcel Energy Center on Dec. 3.
EDGE STAT OF THE WEEK
Bedard is in the 70th percentile in skating distance (196.95 miles) in all strengths and the 92nd (32.70 miles) on the power play. The League average is 115.34 and 10.56, respectively.
THEY SAID IT
"(Center Jason) Dickinson's a guy who's usually a responsible guy and back there (on defense) first. It allows Connor to be creative and be out and up front. He likes making plays down low around the net, so obviously you're not probably going to be the first guy back. I think it works out well and when he's playing center a lot of times that happens. He's up on the wing in the [defensive] zone because he likes playing low in the [offensive] zone and he's making plays down around the net, so it just works out." -- Blackhawks coach Luke Richardson on moving Bedard to left wing with Dickinson and right wing Philipp Kurashev in their win against the Flyers on Saturday
