Is Connor Bedard a disappointment?

[Giorno Giovanna]

He definitely doesn’t look like an elite superstar so far. Definitely hasn’t reached the McDavid/Crosby-level hype he had and isn’t looking like a future top 5 player. I know he’s only 19, but he hasn’t looked like a dominant player like we thought he would. He has a horrid plus/minus, is under a PPG, and hasn’t even hit the 20 goal mark, yet. He’s tied for 43rd in scoring. He’s a liability defensively and on the dot. He gets easily pushed off the puck and isn’t very fast. He’s was also left off Canada’s 4 Nations Roster and I doubt he makes the Olympic team in Milan next year. Right now, Macklin Celebrini, not Bedard, looks like the star of the future. I’m not even sure he reaches Jack Hughes-level.

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[Bounces R Way]

no

 

[heretik27]

Nice first post. I completely agree, he's a total bust!

 

[Giorno Giovanna]

Nice first post. I completely agree, he's a total bust!

I mean he definitely has not reached expectations, so far.

 

[BrokenFace]

Nothing has changed about Bedard in the year and a half he's been in the NHL. He's been a teenager with sky high potential on an otherwise terrible team. There really isn't any news on him that changes that.

 

[Giorno Giovanna]

Nothing has changed about Bedard in the year and a half he's been in the NHL. He's been a teenager with sky high potential on an otherwise terrible team. There really isn't any news on him that changes that.

Guys like Crosby and McDavid won the Hart and Art Ross Trophies at his age. There is no comparison.

And people will bring up Nathan MacKinnon not becoming a superstar until a bit later in his career, but MacKinnon has easy size, speed and strength advantages.

 

[Fatass]

Bedard came out of junior with a lot of hype. The NHL promoted him as the next face of hockey. He’s actually been very poor. More than just disappointing.

 

[DitchMarner]

He's doing well offensively considering how bad his team is and how little help he has. Obviously he does still need to round out his game.

If you were expecting the next Crosby or McDavid or Ovechkin, then you can say he's been disappointing. But that shouldn't have been a realistic expectation.

He'll be a superstar forward in his prime. I'm looking forward to seeing him play against TOR tonight. The last time he faced the Leafs he wasn't too impressive, but that was before the coaching change and during a rough stretch for him offensively.

 

[coolboarder]

Players don't fully develop their body and his body will catch up and will be the worth the hype. Too bad, he is too good for junior but not old enough for AHL to allow for him to develop without any pressure. It is something that the NHL will have to consider with college changing their eligibility rules. Maybe it is time for the NHL to change its draft eligibility to 19 and allow the AHL to lower from 20 to 19 so that once they draft a player, it should be complete under their control how they want to develop their own player.

 

[Giorno Giovanna]

Bedard came out of junior with a lot of hype. The NHL promoted him as the next face of hockey. He’s actually been very poor. More than just disappointing.

I agree. I think his ceiling at this point is Cole Caufield or Alex DeBrincat. The Blackhawks IMO would have been better off trading back from the first overall pick and drafting Matvei Michkov. Not only do I think that Michkov will be the better player, I also think that because Michkov didn’t play in the NHL his draft year, the Blackhawks are worse than San Jose and end up winning the lottery, getting them Celebrini as well.

 

[gary559]

Why does Bedard get a pass when Slafkovsky and Power don't?

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

He's a definitely been worse than I expected, but he's still a tremendous talent.

 

[vipersfan]

yes

 

[Fatass]

I agree. I think his ceiling at this point is Cole Caufield or Alex DeBrincat. The Blackhawks IMO would have been better off trading back from the first overall pick and drafting Matvei Michkov. Not only do I think that Michkov will be the better player, I also think that because Michkov didn’t play in the NHL his draft year, the Blackhawks are worse than San Jose and end up winning the lottery, getting them Celebrini as well.

2023 sure looks like a very weak draft class.

 

[Giorno Giovanna]

Why does Bedard get a pass when Slafkovsky and Power don't?

Probably because Slaf and Power weren’t hyped up like Bedard

 

[Mrfenn92]

Why does Bedard get a pass when Slafkovsky and Power don't?

Bedard is better then both

 

[hamzarocks]

Yeah hes a disapointment

He isnt even as good as 19/20 year old Auston Matthews was

 

[Beerz]

Idk.. ask his Mom

 

[Giorno Giovanna]

He's a definitely been worse than I expected, but he's still a tremendous talent.

I don’t see it. Chicago will be lucky if he turns out to be Patrick Kane level. I think Chicago’s rebuild is screwed if Bedard doesn’t at least turn out to be Matthews/Kucherov/MacKinnon/Draisaitl tier. They better hope they can nab someone like Gavin McKenna, who looks legit. Also, passing up on guys like Perreault and Demidov might come back to haunt them.

 

[gary559]

Probably because Slaf and Power weren’t hyped up like Bedard

That makes no sense. If you have a a lot of hype and don't deliver I would expect more criticism.

 

[Beerz]

I don’t see it. Chicago will be lucky if he turns out to be Patrick Kane level. I think Chicago’s rebuild is screwed if Bedard doesn’t at least turn out to be Matthews/Kucherov/MacKinnon/Draisaitl tier. They better hope they can nab someone like Gavin McKenna, who looks legit. Also, passing up on guys like Perreault and Demidov might come back to haunt them.

Turning into Kane would mean rebuild has failed when Kane was part of 3 Stanley Cups.

Interesting

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

If you were expecting Crosby or Mcdavid then yes. Otherwise no he's fine. Just young, still gaining strength and learning how to adapt to the league.

 

[Giorno Giovanna]

That makes no sense. If you have a a lot of hype and don't deliver I would expect more criticism.

There definitely has been some criticism, lately. Biz called him out for playing like it’s pond hockey. Messier called for him to not get PP time after a defensive lapse. Corey Pronman ranked Bedard under Celebrini and Stützle on his best young players list.

Turning into Kane would mean rebuild has failed when Kane was part of 3 Stanley Cups.

Interesting

Bedard is supposed to be better than Kane. I’m not sure he’s better right now than mid 30s Red Wings Kane.

 

[stevo61]

His GM is a disappointment. He's a 19 year old kid with a bunch of support 2nd/3rd/4th liners. He's not nearly a Crosby/Ovi/McDavid level talent and also doesn't have his Malkin/Draisaitl/Backstrom on the way. He himself has a good amount of growing up to do with his game and the team needs to find a way to bring in some actual talent with him. Maybe this draft they can find someone to be his longterm running mate

 

[Giorno Giovanna]

His GM is a disappointment. He's a 19 year old kid with a bunch of support 2nd/3rd/4th liners. He's not nearly a Crosby/Ovi/McDavid level talent and also doesn't have his Malkin/Draisaitl/Backstrom on the way. He himself has a good amount of growing up to do with his game and the team needs to find a way to bring in some actual talent with him. Maybe this draft they can find someone to be his longterm running mate

Bedard should be making his teammates better when he hasn’t. Right now, Ryan Donato has more goals than Bedard. Ryan Donato. Meanwhile guys like Crosby and McDavid are known for turning average players into good ones when out on a line with them.