Connor Bedard’s Frustration Mounts as Goal Drought Continues
It’s not easy being a teenage phenom in the NHL, and Connor Bedard is living proof of that right now. After a stellar rookie season that saw him crowned the NHL’s rookie of the year, the 19-year-old Chicago Blackhawks star is facing one of the toughest stretches of his young career. With just 3 goals and 12 assists in 20 games this season, Bedard is struggling to find his groove, and the frustration is starting to show.
“I could name 100 things [I could do better],” Bedard admitted on Friday. “I don’t know, man. It has been frustrating, for sure. I just don’t feel like I’m really doing anything. So just keep chipping away at it, I guess, and hopefully find my game again.”
For a player who lit up the league last season with 22 goals and 61 points in 68 games, this year’s numbers are a noticeable dip. His goal-scoring pace has been cut in half, and the Blackhawks, as a team, are struggling mightily. With a points percentage of just .375, Chicago is tied for the worst in the NHL. Heading into Saturday’s game against the Philadelphia Flyers, Bedard has gone 11 straight games without finding the back of the net. That’s a tough pill to swallow for a player who was drafted first overall in 2023 with sky-high expectations.
What’s Going Wrong?
So, what’s behind Bedard’s slump? It’s not like his overall point production has completely fallen off a cliff, but the lack of goals is glaring. Bedard himself has been candid about his struggles, saying, “It’s been a tough stretch. You just feel like you don’t have it or whatever, and you lose a bit of confidence. And it just kind of goes on.”
Blackhawks coach Luke Richardson has been trying to shake things up to help his young star. Recently, Bedard was moved to a line with forwards Jason Dickinson and Joey Anderson, and he was shifted from center to the wing. The move showed some promise in Tuesday’s game against the Anaheim Ducks, where Bedard assisted on two goals by Dickinson. However, the trio went scoreless in Thursday’s win over the Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers. While they didn’t allow a goal to Florida’s top line, they were dominated in terms of shot attempts, with an 8-0 disadvantage in shots and a 16-2 gap in shot attempts.
Richardson acknowledged the challenges, saying, “We didn’t bring him here to be a checker. But just the way our team has a lack of scoring, we’re hunkering down on the defensive side until we get a little more confidence offensively back.”
Adapting to a New Role
For Bedard, the shift to the wing and a more defensive role is a big adjustment. “I’m not doing much offensively at all, so I’ve got to find a different way to be productive,” he said. “That was obviously different for me, but it’s good to do that. It’s good playing with those two guys. You learn a lot in that end. It’s a lot less work than at center. It’s just about positioning and knowing where to be.”
It’s a mature perspective for a player who’s still just 19 years old. But make no mistake, Bedard is itching to get back to his goal-scoring ways. The confidence that carried him to the Calder Trophy last season seems to have taken a hit, and even Richardson has noticed. “When you see it once, then that’s kind of the word that’s in your mind to use in an interview,” Richardson said, referring to Bedard’s comments about confidence. “It’s running through our team rapidly right now.”
Looking Ahead
As the 2024-25 NHL season reaches its quarter mark, Bedard is determined to turn things around. “Just keep going in every game. Trying to be the best me,” he said. It’s a simple yet powerful mantra for a player who has already shown he has the talent to be one of the league’s brightest stars.
For now, Blackhawks fans will have to be patient as Bedard works through this rough patch. The team’s struggles as a whole certainly aren’t helping, but if there’s one thing we’ve learned about Bedard, it’s that he’s not one to back down from a challenge. Whether it’s finding his scoring touch again or adapting to a new role, you can bet he’ll keep grinding until he’s back to being the player everyone knows he can be.
Key Takeaways
- Connor Bedard has 3 goals and 12 assists in 20 games this season.
- The Chicago Blackhawks are tied for the worst points percentage in the NHL (.375).
- Bedard has gone 11 straight games without a goal, a stark contrast to his rookie season.
- Coach Luke Richardson has moved Bedard to the wing in an effort to spark his game.
- Bedard remains focused on improving and regaining his confidence as the season progresses.
As the season unfolds, all eyes will remain on Bedard to see how he handles this adversity. If his rookie year was any indication, he’s more than capable of bouncing back in a big way.
Originally Written by: Greg Wyshynski
