CHICAGO -- Connor Bedard was at it again, the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft putting on another show en route to the first five-point game of his NHL career.
“That’s it? That's all he got, huh?” Chicago Blackhawks linemate Nick Foligno said jokingly after Bedard had a goal and four assists in a 7-2 win against the Anaheim Ducks at United Center on Tuesday. “I'm proud of him. I mean, that's what he can do for us.”
Bedard has had some impressive games this season, but this one hit a new high. The rookie center became the fifth 18-year-old in NHL history to have a five-point game. The last to do it was Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, who had five assists for the Edmonton Oilers in a 9-2 win against the Blackhawks on Nov. 19, 2011.
Bedard leads the Blackhawks and all NHL rookies with 51 points (20 goals, 31 assists) in 52 games. Minnesota Wild defenseman Brock Faber is second with 38 points (six goals, 32 assists).
Bedard joined Eddie Olczyk as the only 18-year-olds to score 20 goals in a season for the Blackhawks. Olczyk did it in 1984-85.
Oh, and Bedard has eight points (three goals, five assists) in his past two games, including two goals and an assist in a 7-4 win against the Arizona Coyotes on Sunday. He’s the second teenager in NHL history with eight points in a two-game span, joining Dale Hawerchuk, who did it with the Winnipeg Jets when he was 18 (March 13-16, 1982).
So, is anything in particular clicking for Bedard these past two games?
“I don’t know,” he said. “I mean, I always try to go in with the same mindset, try to play the same.
“I think it’s funny, I had eight games straight without a goal, then you have a couple of big ones and people kind of forget about that. I don’t know, I think I’m just trying to stick to what works and I’ve been fortunate the last two to get a couple.”