C Connor Bedard (2023, 1st, CHI) Part 6

Dust

HFBoards Sponsor
Sponsor
Apr 20, 2016
6,144
7,167
The Pens in Crosby's rookie season hardly had much to play with. Unless people think about 25 games of an old Lemieux and half a season of Palffy is stacked.

For a lot of the season, Crosby had Colby Armstrong and Michel Oullett on his line. Not exactly the type of linemates that can help a guy jump from 40-50 points (which was the discussion point) to 100+ points like Crosby got.

I agree. I still want to see how he translates to the NHL level first, so I think (right now) he'll be a slight notch below those two. But every thread, every article, I read about him talks about him as the next "generational" prospect, so if that's the case then he should be held to that type of standard.

You're right in that Crosby's rookie season the Pens didn't have a very talented team. But it looks like pretty decent compared to the corpse of what Chicago is left with Chicago Blackhawks 2022-23 roster and scoring statistics at hockeydb.com

Leading scorer returning is Andreas Athanasiou with 40 points.
 

EddieTheEagle

Registered User
Sep 17, 2006
1,559
3,132
You're right in that Crosby's rookie season the Pens didn't have a very talented team. But it looks like pretty decent compared to the corpse of what Chicago is left with Chicago Blackhawks 2022-23 roster and scoring statistics at hockeydb.com

Leading scorer returning is Andreas Athanasiou with 40 points.
The Hawks are definitely bad by design and getting Bedard won't make them change gears overnight. Their GM, King Lizard Wizard KyKy Davidson, has admitted that he isn't going to try to shortcut anything. He noted that he thinks a lot about "timing" a rebuild and knowing when to spend and chase assets at the correct time. So, I think you'll see them go hard for free agents after the following season (or subsequent) if they can finish near the bottom again next season, barring any miracle and then add more high-quality draft selections.

The Blackhawks have a plethora of high-end picks over the next three drafts and will be filling their cupboards with potential gamers, then will sprinkle in free-agent signings that they find complementary to their core.

With all that said, I have major tempered expectations for CB98 in the upcoming season. If he can hit a PPG pace while working with the roster we have, I would be thrilled but I am anticipating a 60-ish point season. Hoping he can prove me wrong.
 
  • Like
Reactions: wetcoast

Matsun

Registered User
Aug 15, 2010
650
546
You think he is going to score 50 goals/100 points in the NHL next year?
I expect in the region of 40-50 goals and 90-100 points. That would put him as a top 20-10 scorer in the league. Matthews was 20th in points with 69 and 2nd in goals with 40 as a rookie. 2nd in goals this season would be 62 goals and 20th in points would've been 88. I don't think Bedard is hitting 60 as a rookie even though I think Bedard is better than Matthews as a prospect. People are not used to the high scoring environment yet so is the numbers I'm putting out might sound unreasonable but I don't think they are.
 

Dust

HFBoards Sponsor
Sponsor
Apr 20, 2016
6,144
7,167
I expect Bedard will start a bit slow in his first month, he did making his transition into the WHL, and then will make some adjustments to the speed of the game and really thrive.
 

hockeykid87

Registered User
Apr 7, 2008
929
456
I expect Bedard will start a bit slow in his first month, he did making his transition into the WHL, and then will make some adjustments to the speed of the game and really thrive.
Bedard had two points in each of his first four WHL games. He started his WHL career on a 12-game point streak.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Dion TheFluff

Sidney the Kidney

One last time
Jun 29, 2009
56,857
49,479
You're right in that Crosby's rookie season the Pens didn't have a very talented team. But it looks like pretty decent compared to the corpse of what Chicago is left with Chicago Blackhawks 2022-23 roster and scoring statistics at hockeydb.com

Leading scorer returning is Andreas Athanasiou with 40 points.
My guess is Chicago brings in a couple of UFA scoring wingers to play with Bedard. Not sure who is available, but I'd bet they add a Tatar or a Dadonov type (or maybe a more physical type like a Barbishev). I doubt they go into next year without adding anyone for him to play with.
 

Dust

HFBoards Sponsor
Sponsor
Apr 20, 2016
6,144
7,167
Bedard had two points in each of his first four WHL games. He started his WHL career on a 12-game point streak.

I'm talking about the 2021-2022 season, not the watered down bubble season that had no imports and missing a ton of players. I had front row seats as he struggled (by his standards) to adjust to a bigger, faster league than he was used to.
 

Mrfenn92

Proud to be American
Sponsor
Nov 27, 2018
34,356
34,997
Chicago,Illinois
81DF23A9-608F-4B2C-B1C7-863339BB7678.jpeg


David branch Award player of the year award

Chl top scorer award

Top prospect award
 

Breakfast of Champs

Registered User
Apr 15, 2007
3,104
3,261
In the sense that he won't overwhelm you with a physical trait like Crosby and McDavid. I think his playmaking and hockey IQ may be underrated given his shot and goalscoring.
His shot is absolutely a wow factor worthy skill though, he's also absolutely electric with the puck and has some of the best hands of a prospect since McDavid. Gretzky was no slouch with the pick but he wasn't dancing around and tow dragging like bedard.

Bedard basically has every single wow factor skill except for McDavid or MacKinnon like speed and explosiveness. There's nothing subtle about how he dominates , it's apparently the moment he touches the puck
 
  • Like
Reactions: wetcoast

daver

Registered User
Apr 4, 2003
26,665
6,361
Visit site
His shot is absolutely a wow factor worthy skill though, he's also absolutely electric with the puck and has some of the best hands of a prospect since McDavid. Gretzky was no slouch with the pick but he wasn't dancing around and tow dragging like bedard.

Bedard basically has every single wow factor skill except for McDavid or MacKinnon like speed and explosiveness. There's nothing subtle about how he dominates , it's apparently the moment he touches the puck

The unknown for him is whether he can be an offensive driver like Crosby who can elevate the play of his linemates or more like Matthews who needs a setup guy.

I think he has a great sense to draw defenders to him given his goalscoring prowess then dish off to an open man. I think he can be a Rocket Richard winner and win Art Rosses with his playmaking. I see him winning Rosses like Crosby/McDavid moreso than Rockets like OV and Matthews.
 
  • Like
Reactions: wetcoast

WarriorofTime

Registered User
Jul 3, 2010
32,049
21,416
The unknown for him is whether he can be an offensive driver like Crosby who can elevate the play of his linemates or more like Matthews who needs a setup guy.

I think he has a great sense to draw defenders to him given his goalscoring prowess then dish off to an open man. I think he can be a Rocket Richard winner and win Art Rosses with his playmaking. I see him winning Rosses like Crosby/McDavid moreso than Rockets like OV and Matthews.
He can probably win both if he lives up to his potential. I mean Crosby won 2 and McDavid won 1 (and Ovechkin also won a Ross)
 

EddieTheEagle

Registered User
Sep 17, 2006
1,559
3,132
Do you think he will be the next Gretzky or to a lesser extent McDavid?
I think everyone needs to temper expectations. "The next Gretzky"? Come on. Give the kid a chance to even get into the league before going this bananas. Will he be good? Probably (hopefully), but let's ease up on the GOAT discussion.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Sarava

independent observer

Registered User
Apr 9, 2023
343
280
Do you think he will be the next Gretzky or to a lesser extent McDavid?
Defo next Gretzky… I mean who needs to be a good skater if he is a sniper of the highest order?

Have you seen his legs? Jagresque… that guy is a tree…

He is the evolution of hockey… the ultimate project… he‘s got a high performance processor and AI chip in his brain. Since when are humans better than computers?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Rabid Ranger

Rabid Ranger

2 is better than one
Feb 27, 2002
31,686
11,957
Murica
I think everyone needs to temper expectations. "The next Gretzky"? Come on. Give the kid a chance to even get into the league before going this bananas. Will he be good? Probably (hopefully), but let's ease up on the GOAT discussion.
Well, I ask because these seem to be the expectations for some posters. Winning the Art Ross/Richard within the first couple of years, Seemingly passing McDavid by around the same timeframe. Stepping into camp next year and beating NHL goaltenders from 50 feet out with his wrister and going for 50/50.
 
  • Like
Reactions: EddieTheEagle

independent observer

Registered User
Apr 9, 2023
343
280
Well, I ask because these seem to be the expectations for some posters. Winning the Art Ross/Richard within the first couple of years, Seemingly passing McDavid by around the same timeframe. Stepping into camp next year and beating NHL goaltenders from 50 feet out with his wrister and going for 50/50.
On the offsensive end mcdavids game is pretty advanced… he is the full package… on top he has high end teammates… barring any serious injuries I think he will take home some more ross trophies…

Bedard may have been the better junior player but mcdavid took major strides as a pro… we will see if bedard can copy that… crosby had probably the better jr career and is the better 2 way player… but offense alone McDavid completely leapfrogged him, not even close… and offense is what‘s needed to win the art ross right?

So bedard got long ways to go…
 

Panthaz89

Buffalo Sabres, Carolina Panthers fan
Dec 24, 2016
14,111
6,348
Buffalo,NY
It's a shitty team he's going into, but if Bedard is a generational talent a 100+ point rookie season shouldn't surprise anyone.

He'll play with arguably the least support of any generational player entering the league, but accounting for the high scoring era, he should score above a point per game at the bare minimum to live up to the hype.

If he doesn't win Hart/Ross during his ELC it'll also be dissapointing. The guy arguably had the greatest draft season ever.
None of the Blackhawks even cracked 50 last year....I really doubt he's hitting 100 with them this year.
 

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Ad