Has Connor Bedard quietly became underrated ?

[Lafleurs Guy]

I also think he's gonna be a great offensive player, but he's not gonna get to 87/97 levels. Perennial top 10 scorer in his prime, and could probably challenge for major hardware in his peak.

We'll see.

 

[ViD]

If his face off is really at 30%, he needs to be moved to the wing

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

If his face off is really at 30%, he needs to be moved to the wing

That's the last reason to move someone to wing.

He should move to wing because his game is better suited for it at this stage. If it was just faceoffs, you could just give him a winger who's decent on the draw and let him take key faceoffs, like Foligno or TT

 

[Dominance]

Microcosm.

 

[olli]

I think it shows why smaller skill players struggle so much in the nhl and many end up in Europe or stuck in the ahl forever. Obviously Bedard is too talented for that and will still be a star, but if you're small it's really tough to create separation from nhl level defenders. I know he's listed at 5-10 but he looks more like he's 5-8 or 5-9.

He’s definitely not 5’10 you’re right but he’s actually very well built compared to most 19 year old nhl players so I don’t really think strength is a big issue for him. But actually applying on ice strength is very different than simply having enough muscle built up from off ice training. He’s definitely yet a guy that can just create offence out of nothing regardless of who he’s playing with so the hawks should make an effort to add a legit star forward. Hall and Bertuzzi just aren’t that good anymore to be more than middle 6 guys. Maybe that could add an overpaid veteran for cheap somehow similar to Anaheim adding Trouba.

 

[olli]

i think one of the closest comparables to Bedard reaching his ultimate upside is Kucherov.

and Kucherov didn't become "Kucherov" until what he was 23?

Kucherov didn’t become a top liner until then but he didn’t become a top 5 player until he was 26 and last year at age 30 he had his best season. MacKinnon is another example of a guy who didn’t really hit his stride until 5 years in and he just had a career season last year at 28 albeit he came into the league his draft year and played on some very bad Avs teams in years 2-4. Its easy to expect Bedard to be a 100 point guy his 2nd season based on what guys like Crosby, Ovechkin, Malkin and McDavid did but there’s also guys in the tear right below Crosby/Mcdavid who took years to become close to the players they ended up being. Blackhawks should be incredibly happy if Bedard turns out to be as good as Kuch/Mackinnon/Kane.

 

[olli]

Peak Kucherov is 144 points which is better than anything from Crosby or Ovechkin

Context needs to be added, Kuch’s peak is a lot closer to Crosby/Ovechkin than it gets credit for. But Crosby wasn’t even healthy for close to a full season during his peak and Kuch doesn’t have close to the longevity or trophy cases of those guys and he overly likely never will. But as a huge Kuch fan I’m very confident he’ll remain a top player into his mid 30s given his skill set relying so heavily on his iq.

 

[Acallabeth]

I watched several Hawks games recently, and while obviously Lil' C stands out with his skills on a team that has very little talent, his own game is a bit concerning.

Many high-risk passes (like his seemingly patented backhand cross-ice turnover), a lot of watching hockey from the ice, seems pretty easy to shut down with physical play, doesn't seem to get open easily. Not a lot of signs of on-ice leadership too.

Definitely looks like a junior player still in transition to the NHL who needs a lot of coaching. In fact, I'm under an impression that he looks more so than last year (but I haven't watched all his games).

 

[NatusVincere]

i think one of the closest comparables to Bedard reaching his ultimate upside is Kucherov.

and Kucherov didn't become "Kucherov" until what he was 23?

Kucherov took longer because he didn’t have the hype of a 1OA/top 3 pick with a guaranteed Top 6 roster spot without defensive responsibilities playing for a rebuilding team. Kucherov was a (skinny) Russian 2nd round pick who had to earn his top line spot through the QMJHL, AHL and Bolts bottom 6 playing for a contending team. He had 7 points less than Stamkos in 14/15 (his 21 year old season) playing 5 less minutes per game.

 

[Agent Zuuuub]

feel like Chicago f***ed up.

I like Lev, but Demidov with his ability to skate, carry the puck, and pass would have been a great linemate for Bedard.

but they will draft high again so maybe they will just get Bedards perfect linemate this year.

who would that be this year?

 

[Andy Dufresne]

connor bedard combine height - Google Suche

Connor Bedard was 5'9.75" at the 2023 NHL Scouting Combine:
For anybody who cares.

 

[KillerMillerTime]

In their 2nd seasons, 87 had 120 pts, 97 had 100 pts.

Bedard has a way to go.

He isn't in that class. I said from the start he will be a peak Kariya player and its looking likely.

There were people here who thought it was an insult except Whiskey.

 

[Crow]

I mean if his ghostly linemates are out producing him... you don't think that's pretty telling?

For example, Reichel has had far worse support and has been much better at 5v5.

No he hasn’t.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

What hardware is Bedard going to be challenging for in this era?

 

[Andy Dufresne]

What hardware is Bedard going to be challenging for in this era?

The Rocket
Unless you're defining 'era' as this year. Then nothing.

 

[BoHorvat 53]

i think one of the closest comparables to Bedard reaching his ultimate upside is Kucherov.

and Kucherov didn't become "Kucherov" until what he was 23?

How many Kucherovs are there in the league again? Kucherov was a second round pick fighting his way through a deep Tampa Bay organization, Bedard has been handed the keys since day 1 - day and night difference.

I want the kid to become the best player in the league, rooting for him, but I just don't see him in that conversation based on what last season and this season have looked like.

 

[Ace Card Bedard]

feel like Chicago f***ed up.

I like Lev, but Demidov with his ability to skate, carry the puck, and pass would have been a great linemate for Bedard.

but they will draft high again so maybe they will just get Bedards perfect linemate this year.

who would that be this year?

Misa, Martone, Frondell, Hagens
They all seem to be top forward prospects.

Schaeffer on D if he's the BPA.


Also of note:
Davidson tried to get both Levshunov and Demidov by offering next years' first plus another pick but nobody agreed.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

No he hasn’t.

I'll take TT, Hall, Donato, Foligno, and Kurashev over Smith and Maroon.

Foligno had more points last year than Smith and Maroon combined. There's a reason Smith and Maroon are on the 4th line and get less ice time than every other Hawks forward.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

The Rocket
Unless you're defining 'era' as this year. Then nothing.

I used to think he had 60 goal potential, but it's hard to imagine it at this point. Even with an elite linemate.

Dude's on pace for 14.6 goals. How many past rocket winners have struggled to score goals to such an extent in their second year in the league?

 

[Agent Zuuuub]

How many Kucherovs are there in the league again? Kucherov was a second round pick fighting his way through a deep Tampa Bay organization, Bedard has been handed the keys since day 1 - day and night difference.

I want the kid to become the best player in the league, rooting for him, but I just don't see him in that conversation based on what last season and this season have looked like.

Kucherov took longer because he didn’t have the hype of a 1OA/top 3 pick with a guaranteed Top 6 roster spot without defensive responsibilities playing for a rebuilding team. Kucherov was a (skinny) Russian 2nd round pick who had to earn his top line spot through the QMJHL, AHL and Bolts bottom 6 playing for a contending team. He had 7 points less than Stamkos in 14/15 (his 21 year old season) playing 5 less minutes per game.

i know thats why i said ultimate upside, most likely he doesn't reach that and is a level or two below one of the best ever.

and its not exactly easy to be handed the keys as an 18 year old and asked to be successful with little support. very likely an 18-19 year old kucherov struggles with that too.

esp because like Bedard, Kuch is a small player who doesn't have blazing speed.

 

[Video Nasty]

*delete*

 

[Video Nasty]

Yet below peak Yzerman?

The increase in scoring—7%, 12%, and 13% in the 2023-2024 season compared to 2006-2007 and 2007-2008–isn’t enough to hand wave away the 29%, 27%, and 20% more points Kucherov had compared to the career highs of Ovechkin, Malkin, and Crosby, respectively.

But the 8% fewer points Kucherov had compared to what Yzerman did while finishing third in an environment where scoring was 22% higher than in 2023-2024 does point to Kucherov also being more impressive there too.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

I used to think he had 60 goal potential, but it's hard to imagine it at this point. Even with an elite linemate.

Dude's on pace for 14.6 goals. How many past rocket winners have struggled to score goals to such an extent in their second year in the league?

Iginla,, scored 13 goals
Perry, 17
Pastrnak, 15 (50 games)
There's a few more that you're not comparing apples to apples because they were in there 20's before they even came to the league. How many goals would Teemu, Bure and Hejduk have scored in the nhl at 19? Nobody can answer that.
Then there's the curious case of Jonathan Cheechoo, but we don't need to get into that right now.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Iginla,, scored 13 goals
Perry, 17
Pastrnak, 15 (50 games)

Good find, but all 3 of those guys paced for more goals in their 2nd years in lower scoring eras. With a lot less ice time too:

Iginla: 16:04
Pastrnak: 13:57
Perry: 12:28
Bedard: 19:31

I think its probably more likely that Bedard competes for the Art Ross down the line than it is he competes for Rockets, unless he's able to find ways to get more shots from dangerous areas. He's quickly turning into more of a perimeter playmaker ala Kane and Kucherov.

There's a few more that you're not comparing apples to apples because they were in there 20's before they even came to the league. How many goals would Teemu, Bure and Hejduk have scored in the nhl at 19? Nobody can answer that.

This is absolutely true and a very fair point.

Then there's the curious case of Jonathan Cheechoo, but we don't need to get into that right now.

He actually had 28 goals in his 2nd year, but I think he was already an AARP member at that point.