Missing out on action and the All-Star Weekend due to an injury must have been difficult for him, as all he wants in life is to play hockey.
He enjoys being on the ice, and it shows, but there isn't just fun when you're a headline player like him in 2024.
Indeed, the media pressure is omnipresent, and the players feel it. His teammate Philipp Kurashev is one of the many close to Bedard who worry about him.
Being the first overall pick comes with expectations, and delivering on the ice increases them. Bedard finished the season with 61 points in 68 games, despite the lack of raw talent in the organization.
For example, Sidney Crosby, his idol, had Mario Lemieux in his rookie year, and the Penguins had some good young players like Marc-André Fleury in the lineup, with Malkin and Letang arriving the following year.
Bedard is truly playing for a bottom-tier team and has had to carry the club on his shoulders, in addition to dealing with what happened with Corey Perry and the controversy involving his mother.
A mentally challenging rookie year, and it's understandable that his teammates are concerned.
Despite everything, we can see that the young man has handled it well and has been able to play solid hockey while remaining pleasant to interact with for the media and fans.
In my opinion, he will undoubtedly be the next captain of the Chicago Blackhawks.
POLL | ||
29 MAI | 391 ANSWERS Concern about Connor Bedard: shocking comments from Kurashev Are you worried about how the media is treating Connor Bedard and the pressure he has to endure? | ||
Yes | 161 | 41.2 % |
No | 230 | 58.8 % |
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