Has Connor Bedard quietly became underrated ?

[Chuck Testa]

Having to play with Mikheyev is the equivalent of getting sent to the wall in game of thrones

You can thank dopey dick Richardson and the rest of the jabronis on that coaching staff for making that decision.

 

[TLEH]

Yeah Hughes isn’t a good example for judging by his first few seasons though. When he was healthy last year he looked to me like the most dominant offensive forward besides the big 4 or 5. He was buzzing in the offensive zone and creating chances like MacK and McDavid before his early season injury.

That said, yes I have Bedard not only getting to his level but perhaps as soon as later on this very season. Don’t believe there will be a huge gap between them throughout much of their primes though, and that speaks more to how good I believe Hughes is than some slight against Bedard.

Yeah he was buzzing for sure. I like Hughes a lot, I just think the idea that Bedard would be lucky to hit that ceiling when every stage along the way he has been a step ahead, seems off. The defensive thing hasn't been great, but I'll wait until year 3 or 4 to truly evaluate his defense. If he hasn't figured out by then, then he probably won't.

 

[Brookbank]

What??? Those were commercials??? I thought those were a sneak peak into Amazon's next Faceoff Season.

Mcdavid fans making fun of Bedards "acting" is peak irony

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

It’s gonna be a joke how many points this kid puts up in a few years IMO

I don’t see him ever able to control shifts all over the ice all game the way prime Crosby/McDavid did, but he will still be one of the best play drivers in the league when he fills out. The skill/hands/shot combo looks like it will be ridiculously deadly.

 

[lwvs84]

Bedard is still considered the best U23 player on virtually every ranking (maybe every single one?). I think he was overhyped when he came in (I mean they put up a goal counter of career goals for him and Gretzky when he scored his first). I think it's unfair to compare him to McDavid and Crosby, that tier feels like a "prove the hype" tier. But putting him a level below is completely fair until he proves otherwise.

 

[Brookbank]

Some ppl really need to review this

 

[BleedBlue14]

Let's let him finish a full season before being called over or underrated no?

He's young.

 

[Siludin]

It's certainly not without merit to reply to someone who said that Bedard won the Calder despite the broken jaw and sat out with the fact that Faber, a finalist for the award, didn't sit out but PLAYED the final 2 months of the season with fractured ribs.

It was more of a general observation about the Faber apologists as I religiously Stan for Bedard.

 

[ORRFForever]

In Bedard's defense, the team around him is pure garbage and, as a result, teams can concentrate on Connor. Give him someone to play with and then people can judge.

 

[MS]

lol, he's the 3rd youngest player in the NHL. Yup, no room to improve.

Where did anyone say that there was no room to improve?

Of course it will improve. But it's very bad, and even big improvements will still likely leave it as below-average.

Again , it's like comparing Mcd to Teows in 2016

Is this actually serious?

 

[Ace Card Bedard]

Young Steve Yzerman was considered one-dimensional.
Young Sidney Crosby was considered one-dimensional.
McDavid?
etc.

 

[Hawkaholic]

Where did anyone say that there was no room to improve?

Of course it will improve. But it's very bad, and even big improvements will still likely leave it as below-average.

I said he'd be better than Kane (in the future), which he will. And you started talking about how bad he has been defensively as if last year means anything at all for his future.

But it's pretty clear there are 2 haters in this thread, I'll ignore you and the other, because you both are clueless.

 

[Strangle]

Connor Bedard was hyped at the retail level in his daft year. And was compared to Mcdavid or Crosby. But as his first year came and went , the hardcore fans and analysts were not as onboard with it anymore.

Something changed. We even have some fans trying to upsell Jack Hughs and Logan Cooley on him.

Now it's not considered serious to compare him to Mcdavid or Crosby. Why is this ?

He’d better watch his back, these two Russian kids might be better than him

 

[nbwingsfan]

Both the 06 penguins and the 15-16 Oilers finished 1 point away from last place. Their rosters were in similar spots to the Blackhawks last season.

Once again… compare their supporting casts lol

There’s a TON more offense on both teams than the Hawks

 

[nbwingsfan]

Cliff Ronning had "generational" junior numbers.

His career will end up no where near Crosby or McDavid. He should be an elite player, but not "generational". I just don't think he has the build for it.

You’re just doubling down because you made a bit of a mess of yourself in the Calder thread calling Faber better

Bringing up a guy who was born in 1965 when we’re only a couple months from 2025 is truly something else

 

[Romang67]

You’re just doubling down because you made a bit of a mess of yourself in the Calder thread calling Faber better

Bringing up a guy who was born in 1965 when we’re only a couple months from 2025 is truly something else

Running isn't even outstanding among his peers in the WHL in that era. Rob Brown put up 173 and 212 points in 85-87. Dan Hodgson put up 181 and 182 points in 83-85.

In his best season, Ronning outscored Dan Hodgson by 15 points, and did not beat him in points per game (Hodgson missed 6 games). Bedard outscored #2 by 36 points, and only Firkus has cracked the 2.0 P/G barrier in recent history (Bedard, obviously, was a 2.51 while Firkus was at exactly 2.51).

I don't think they're comparable. Bedard was outscoring the best other player around his time in the WHL by 25%. That would be like if Ronning had scored around 270 points.

 

[MS]

I said he'd be better than Kane (in the future), which he will. And you started talking about how bad he has been defensively as if last year means anything at all for his future.

But it's pretty clear there are 2 haters in this thread, I'll ignore you and the other, because you both are clueless.

He might be better than Kane but if he stays at C his defense will be a bigger problem than with Kane hidden at wing with responsible linemates.

Imagine thinking someone is a 'hater' for comparing a player to a 1st ballot HHOFer like Patrick Kane and making some legitimate criticisms of his (very poor) defensive game.

 

[x Tame Impala]

The Teravainen finish last night gives me so much hope. There were so many moments last year where Bedard makes a great pass and his crappy teammates either f*** up receiving it or they don't shoot or they flub some shot because he was playing with a bunch of 4th liners and AHL tweeners.

If you guys want to bicker about terms like "generational" and the like be my guest but I can assure you Hawks fans aren't doing that. From what I've seen so far he's probably going to have Kane-level production at worst when things are all said and done.

 

[Hawkaholic]

He might be better than Kane but if he stays at C his defense will be a bigger problem than with Kane hidden at wing with responsible linemates.

Imagine thinking someone is a 'hater' for comparing a player to a 1st ballot HHOFer like Patrick Kane and making some legitimate criticisms of his (very poor) defensive game.

Lol no it won't.

And you can't stop posting things without bringing him down. This while thread is you downplaying him.

 

[D Wakaluk]

What? No.

Next.

Take last night for example. Everything was about Bedard. The hype machine is alive and well. Righfully so, the kid is good

 

[Brookbank]

Where did anyone say that there was no room to improve?

Of course it will improve. But it's very bad, and even big improvements will still likely leave it as below-average.



Is this actually serious?

It is as serious as saying Bedard projects to be no better than Patrick Kane.

Can you show one scouting report that suggests Bedard is a defensive liability ?

 

[x Tame Impala]

He might be better than Kane but if he stays at C his defense will be a bigger problem than with Kane hidden at wing with responsible linemates.

Imagine thinking someone is a 'hater' for comparing a player to a 1st ballot HHOFer like Patrick Kane and making some legitimate criticisms of his (very poor) defensive game.

Uhhh what responsible linemates did Kane play with? Panarin, Anisimov, Versteeg, Brad Richards, Handzus, DeBrincat, Strome, etc...

 

[Russian_fanatic]

It’s gonna be a joke how many points this kid puts up in a few years IMO

I don’t see him ever able to control shifts all over the ice all game the way prime Crosby/McDavid did, but he will still be one of the best play drivers in the league when he fills out. The skill/hands/shot combo looks like it will be ridiculously deadly.

Kid reminds me of Joe Sakic TBH

Similiar build, and they have similiar skill/hand/shot combo.

 

[Brookbank]

Bedard and McDavid were granted exceptional status. And Bedard bettered McDavid's junior numbers. But we can call it a wash if you want. This is what separates Bedard from Patrick Kane. I thought it went without saying but apparently it needs to be said.

 

[x Tame Impala]

Kid reminds me of Joe Sakic TBH

Similiar build, and they have similiar skill/hand/shot combo.

Yes please!