Has Connor Bedard quietly became underrated ?

[19 for president]

Overhyped pre NHL career maybe, but the guy still has all the makings to be a star #1 center in the NHL. That isn't a bust. He just may not be generational defining ala Crosby and McDavid.

With that said he is putting up 15pt in 19 games as a 19 year old, we have no clue where this kids ends up developing by the time he hits his prime. There have been plenty of guys that have taken a couple of years to hit their full NHL stride.

 

[Slats432]

If he could have a Pat Kane type of career, that would be a huge success.

That is where I always saw him tracking.

 

[Plastic Joseph]

We've had almost the exact same thread for Slafkovsky, Jack Hughes and Lafreniere, this place will never learn.

except Bedard is also producing much better than any of those 3 were at his age

 

[Kahvi]

19 yo forward with 15 points in 19 games, playing for a not so good team. Yeah he must be busting

 

[barriers]

19 yo forward with 15 points in 19 games, playing for a not so good team. Yeah he must be busting

He's got a whole 82 games under his belt, enough with the excuses

 

[Filthy Dangles]

They need to seriously consider moving him to the wing. That is where his game fits in the NHL.

Based on his raw Faceoff totals, it looks like that's already the case, or at least he isn't lining up for many draws.

That said, this is more of a short term thing as he develops and learns to not be such a liability on faceoffs; he will be a center long term no doubt.

 

[MuckOG]

Bedard was probably a little overhyped when he came into the NHL. But I still believe he turns into a very good if not great player in the NHL.

 

[Zegs2sendhelp]

If he played Anaheim every game he’d be pacing as greatest player ever

 

[Romang67]

Coulda stopped at "I know he's only 19"

Aside from that the biggest mistake this forum consistently makes is the assumption that development is linear and any pause, step back, or setback is permanent and indication of busting

Coulda stopped at "only 5.5% shooting percentage."

This guy went over a goal per game in the WHL. Are we expecting him to have the shooting percentage of a 3rd pairing D-man long term?

 

[Kahvi]

He's got a whole 82 games under his belt, enough with the excuses

MacKinnon had 53 points in 82 games his second year, Bedard is only a little better. Oh man Chicago is gonna be disappointed if Bedard becomes only a little better than MacKinnon.

 

[Saskatoon]

We've had almost the exact same thread for Slafkovsky, Jack Hughes and Lafreniere, this place will never learn.

I haven't watched him play so I am not going to weigh in but I think its a fair question to ask if Bedard won't be quite as good as the hype which was very high (but still very very good)

 

[LokiDog]

15 points in 19 games isn’t really that bad, and his shooting percentage is unsustainably low, especially considering how good his shot is. The goals will start to come and he’ll likely be right around point per game, as a 19 year old. Chicago also is abysmal with perhaps the absolute least firepower in the NHL.

 

[TheBeerNerd]

Heh, Bedard and "busting"

It's not his fault his team around him sucks ass. I don't know the underlyings, but he'll be fine.

 

[Primary Assist]

To quote Ray Parker, Jr.: "Bustin' makes me feel good."

 

[FriendlyGhost92]

I don't think anybody ever expected him to be a Crosby or McDavid. That said I can't imagine his SH% remains where it is.

Maybe not as good as Crosby or McDavid, but he was absolutely billed as the best prospect since McDavid.

 

[Warden of the North]

No.

 

[tarheelhockey]

I know he's only 19 but is there any doubt now that maybe he'll just be very good instead of a Crosby or McDavid?

That ship has already sailed and was never a reasonable expectation.

Comparing to other recent 1OA forwards in their 19yo season:

Slafkovsky had 20-30-15 in 82 games

Lafreniere had 12-9-21 in 56 games (rookie + COVID year)

Hughes had 11-20-31 in 56 games (COVID year)

Hischier had 20-32-52 in 82 games (rookie)

Matthews had 40-29-69 in 82 games (rookie)

MacKinnon had 14-24-38 in 64 games

Yakupov had 17-41-31 in 48 games (lockout + rookie)

Nugent-Hopkins had 4-20-24 in 40 games (lockout)

Hall had 22-20-42 in 65 games (rookie)

Tavares had 24-30-54 in 82 games (rookie)

Stamkos had 51-44-95 in 82 games

Kane had 21-51-72 in 82 games (rookie)


For context, Bedard put up 22-39-61 in his 18yo rookie season, so we know he has that in him regardless of his current slump.

To me it feels like he’s tracking toward being something in the range of a Hughes, Tavares level player.

 

[Frank Drebin]

Top 5 forwards in the league at any given time consist of

Mcd
Drai
Mack
Matthews
Kucherov
Pasta
Kaprizov
Panarin

Only mcdavid and matthews were elite the second they entered the league

 

[BertCorbeau]

*laughs in Mackinnon*

Give it time.

 

[FDBluth]

Right now he has one other teammate that is pacing for over 50 points. That's absolutely terrible in today's NHL.

I do think he hasn't learned how to use his shot consistently at the NHL level obviously but he very rarely gets open space that he doesn't create himself, so he's been forced to be a playmaker by default. No one else on his team has the awareness and skill to actually create openings for him. But his playmaking ability is a lot better than I thought it would be...once he gets both his shot and playmaking going, he'll light it up.

 

[Crow]

hatty coming tonight

Against Florida? Doubt it.

 

[PassingBy]

I mean the dude was touted to be better than Ovi and Sid and at least as good as McDavid.

Ovi's rookie season was on similarily awful team, but he ended up scoring 52 goals vs 23 against second highest scorer on his team and 106 points vs 57 points.

Bedard went 22 goals vs 22 goals and 61 vs 54 points.

I mean your awful team can be holding you back against other good players, and maybe you are not competing for Rocket, but the worse your team is - the better you should look when compared to the bums on it. Bedard currently looks slightly better than his teammates, while the players he was compared to were head and shoulders better than their teammates from the beginning.

 

[Brookbank]

19 yo forward with 15 points in 19 games, playing for a not so good team. Yeah he must be busting

* carrying one of the most unsound rosters in the league down the middle. As a young 19 year old.

I mean the dude was touted to be better than Ovi and Sid and at least as good as McDavid.

Ovi's rookie season was on similarily awful team, but he ended up scoring 52 goals vs 23 against second highest scorer on his team and 106 points vs 57 points.

Bedard went 22 goals vs 22 goals and 61 vs 54 points.

I mean your awful team can be holding you back against other good players, and maybe you are not competing for Rocket, but the worse your team is - the better you should look when compared to the bums on it. Bedard currently looks slightly better than his teammates, while the players he was compared to were head and shoulders better than their teammates from the beginning.

There was no 100 point players before the lockout and 8 the year after the lockout. Ovi and Crosby dined out on the new obstruction rules right after the lockout.

 

[Crow]

I mean the dude was touted to be better than Ovi and Sid and at least as good as McDavid.

Ovi's rookie season was on similarily awful team, but he ended up scoring 52 goals vs 23 against second highest scorer on his team and 106 points vs 57 points.

Bedard went 22 goals vs 22 goals and 61 vs 54 points.

I mean your awful team can be holding you back against other good players, and maybe you are not competing for Rocket, but the worse your team is - the better you should look when compared to the bums on it. Bedard currently looks slightly better than his teammates, while the players he was compared to were head and shoulders better than their teammates from the beginning.

I never heard that. “Best prospect since McDavid” is what people said.

Ovi was 20 anyway.

 

[MuckOG]

I never heard that. “Best prospect since McDavid” is what people said.

I heard "generational".