On one hand, that is the large leagues. Each participant within the NHL is truthful recreation for criticism, and no one is above it — particularly in the event that they make unhealthy performs. However the singling out of Bedard within the Blackhawks scenario simply appears fallacious.
The Blackhawks aren’t shedding as a result of Bedard has struggled with a number of the finer elements of two-way hockey or as a result of he hasn’t been arduous sufficient on pucks or opponents.
They stink and have unhealthy morale as a result of former common supervisor Stan Bowman did a foul job managing the wage cap and his roster earlier than he was pressured out in shame, and since present common supervisor Kyle Davidson appears to be in over his head. This can be a unhealthy roster. A really unhealthy roster. It’s a roster that’s nonetheless most likely years away from contending.
When Messier was in his second season within the NHL, he performed on an Oilers workforce that had 5 future Corridor of Famers on it (Wayne Gretzky, Jari Kurri, Glenn Anderson, Paul Coffey and Kevin Lowe) and he was not anticipated to be the focus.
Bissonnette entered the NHL as a fighter on a workforce that had Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin on it, and no one anticipated something from him aside from to be a roster filler.
Bedard has nothing even remotely near any of that round him in Chicago proper now, whereas additionally carrying the expectation of being the franchise participant. He has largely met, if not exceeded, expectations.
Since getting into the NHL at the beginning of the 2023-24 season, Bedard’s 107 complete factors are 45 greater than every other participant on the Blackhawks rosters. He’s the one participant on the workforce who’s a constant risk to provide, and the one participant who has been even price watching.
It’s also truthful to level out that he’s nonetheless the second-youngest participant in all the NHL, forward of solely 2024 No. 1 general decide Macklin Celebrini (San Jose Sharks).
There’s going to be an adjustment interval for him. There are going to be some rising pains. Particularly when the puck just isn’t on his stick. The very fact the Blackhawks are relying on a participant that younger, with so little expertise, to be the participant they give the impression of being to for all-around play and dominance is a testomony to each how gifted he’s and the way unhealthy the remainder of the roster is.
He isn’t a whole participant but. However he additionally should not be anticipated to be one at this level. Most gamers his age are nonetheless enjoying junior hockey, school hockey or minor league hockey and aren’t anyplace close to the NHL. The very fact he’s within the NHL and scoring the way in which he has been needs to be an enormous signal of encouragement for the Blackhawks.
There’s additionally a lot to criticize about this Blackhawks workforce and the group as a complete. It simply largely resides within the entrance workplace.
Bedard might be higher away from the puck. He additionally most likely will likely be as he features extra expertise. The workforce can be higher in giving him some precise assistance on the ice.
