Connor Bedard’s postgame comment Oct. 9 in Boston might go down as the most important quote of the Blackhawks‘ season.
That night, Bedard claimed the Hawks were “not going to take any [expletive]” this year. That has largely held true, as they have demonstrated a scrappier attitude as a team. They’re both more physical and more resilient.
But just as meaningful as what Bedard said was the fact he said it at all.
The Hawks’ 20-year-old star has shown a different side of himself in interviews this season — a more honest, genuine, unrestrained side. He’s finding his voice, and he knows it.
“When you first get [into the NHL], you’re not paranoid, but you don’t want to say something that might rub people the wrong way or make me look bad,” Bedard said Tuesday.
“Obviously I don’t want to look bad, but I don’t really care too much about what some people think. And I think it’s good for the fans if we can show a little bit of who we are, in some ways.”
During his first two pro seasons, Bedard was indeed extremely guarded in interviews. He proceeded as if every stray word could potentially be used against him. The scrutiny and media obligations placed upon him were overwhelming, and he reacted as any teenager would in the face of that: by clamming up.
By now, though, the scrutiny and obligations have reduced to a manageable amount. He has gotten accustomed to the reporters he sees every day and the rhythms of the NHL schedule. He has also likely proven to himself he’s capable of handling any tricky situations that do arise.
He’s comfortable. When anyone is comfortable, they show more of themselves, and that’s what’s happening.
“He’s just maturing,” Hawks captain Nick Foligno said. “It takes a lot of us that long of a time. It took me a lot longer to really figure it out. It’s impressive for a young guy, facing what he’s facing, to finally feel comfortable in his own skin. You’re starting to see who he is, and I think you’re going to see more of it.”
Bedard was particularly blunt during another postgame interview Sunday. He called the Hawks’ power play “terrible,” then described the Kings’ conservative style as “boring” — in that they “sit back a lot and make it hard to get zone entries.”
On one hand, Bedard’s newfound voice is exactly what one would expect a Gen Z athlete’s voice to be. Aside from being one of the most talented hockey players of his generation, he is — under the surface — a pretty normal guy.
On the other hand, in a league where many stars never try to find their voice or deliberately hide it for their entire careers, it is refreshing and interesting that Bedard is willing to buck that trend.
Last season, young Sharks star Macklin Celebrini’s silliness and extroversion — in contrast to Bedard’s stoicism — helped birth a league-wide perception that the Sharks’ rebuild is going better than the Hawks’. More true colors from Bedard — plus more dominant on-ice performances like his hat trick Tuesday — might reverse that narrative moving forward.
As Bedard explains it, his long 2025 summer out of the spotlight — five months of relaxing with friends and family at home in Vancouver — allowed him to reset mentally and reflect on his life. That’s one reason why he’s more comfortable now.
The other reason isn’t, as one might guess, because he realized his words wouldn’t be used against him. He counters that he knows his words will still be used against him sometimes, which he concedes is out of his control.
The other reason is actually that he has realized opinions can’t hurt him.
“If you say something that people don’t like, it doesn’t really matter in the end,” Bedard said. “You don’t want to say anything crazy. But little stuff that could be taken out of proportion, it doesn’t really matter.”
Eyes on prospects
Bedard has paid relatively close attention to the progress of the Hawks’ prospect pool since joining the organization, and that has continued to be the case this season.
One prospect who has caught Bedard’s eye is Roman Kantserov, who leads the KHL with 13 goals in 20 games. Bedard was curious to find out when Kantserov’s KHL contract expires and excited to learn the answer: after this season.
“I got to meet him at the [2023] draft briefly,” Bedard said. “[He’s] obviously a talented player. … We’ve got a lot of guys that are looking promising that hopefully we can add soon.”
It’s understandably easiest for Bedard to follow prospects in Rockford, and he’s encouraged by what’s happening there, too.
Nick Lardis is tied for the AHL lead in points (with 12) and Oliver Moore is tied for the AHL lead in goals (with six) after the IceHogs’ 6-1 rout of the Chicago Wolves on Tuesday. They’re the league’s top-scoring rookies.