Blackhawks coach Jeff Blashill believes NHL players can create space for themselves in three ways: with speed, with strength or with smarts.
That’s relevant because helping Connor Bedard enjoy more space has been a major Blashill focus since the day he was hired, and Bedard checks at least two of those three boxes.
“He’s worked at his speed this summer, so I think that’ll help,” Blashill said. “His change-of-direction [abilities] will help him create space. Certainly his smarts of playing off other players is very good.”
The 20-year-old star forward is happy to elaborate on that final point.
“I’ve always had pretty good vision,” Bedard said. “It’s something that I think is probably my biggest skill, how I see the ice — especially with the puck. Away from the puck, I think I could get a little better with finding spots.”
Every star forward in the league tries to find space, but doing so might be especially important for Bedard.
Entering the 2023 draft, his wickedly quick and accurate wrist shot was hyped up as his most elite skill. However, it hasn’t been as impactful as anticipated so far in his NHL career, largely because defensemen are so good at disrupting it by going stick-on-stick or stick-on-puck.
Last season, out of 378 forwards league-wide, he ranked an unremarkable 160th in shot attempts per minute during five-on-five play. For him to be a dominant scorer in this league, he simply needs more opportunities to shoot. Plus, 27.3% of those attempts were blocked (the 71st-highest rate), and that needs to improve, too.
Bedard has made some pretty plays in the preseason so far, including a blind spinning assist to Ryan Donato on Sunday, but it’ll be difficult to tell exactly how much he has developed and improved until the regular season begins.
His speed will be scrutinized closely during the first few weeks. If he can be stronger on the puck than he was last spring, when he got pushed off it too easily at times, that should also make a difference.
But linemates who can attract and occupy opposing defenses is another crucial element in creating space, and that’s something Bedard has relatively lacked — compared to other first-line centers around the league — during his Hawks tenure so far.
“One of the things Connor is going to improve at is … the ability to get the puck and transport it,” Blashill said. “He certainly looks quicker to me than I saw on tape, so he’ll be able to help transport it. But you’re going to get the puck to the wingers, and they’ve got to be able to do it, too.”
Donato and Andre Burakovsky are on track to be those wingers on opening night. They’re both good players, but probably not first-line-caliber players on most teams.
If Donato can replicate his 2024-25 career year (62 points) and Burakovsky can rediscover his form from his 2021-22 career year in Colorado (61 points), Bedard would benefit tremendously. But 40 to 50 points might be more realistic expectations for their 2025-26 outputs.
One way Burakovsky could nicely complement Bedard is by transporting the puck through the neutral zone and into the offensive zone with possession — a duty Bedard has often been left to handle on his own previously.
Burakovsky led the Kraken last season in both controlled entries and entries leading to scoring chances, per All Three Zones, and he showed the Hawks how comfortable he is in possession during Tuesday’s preseason loss. He and Bedard could be dynamic in transition together.
“I like to use my speed, and I like to skate with [the puck],” Burakovsky said. “That’s one of the things that can help Connor. He doesn’t have to do it every time. I can do it for him and set him up with space.”
