On one hand, that is the massive leagues. Each participant within the NHL is truthful sport for criticism, and no one is above it — particularly in the event that they make unhealthy performs. However the singling out of Bedard within the Blackhawks scenario simply appears incorrect.
The Blackhawks will not be dropping as a result of Bedard has struggled with among the finer elements of two-way hockey or as a result of he hasn’t been exhausting sufficient on pucks or opponents.
They stink and have unhealthy morale as a result of former basic supervisor Stan Bowman did a foul job managing the wage cap and his roster earlier than he was pressured out in shame, and since present basic supervisor Kyle Davidson appears to be in over his head. This can be a unhealthy roster. A really unhealthy roster. It’s a roster that’s nonetheless in all probability years away from contending.
When Messier was in his second season within the NHL, he performed on an Oilers crew that had 5 future Corridor of Famers on it (Wayne Gretzky, Jari Kurri, Glenn Anderson, Paul Coffey and Kevin Lowe) and he was not anticipated to be the focus.
Bissonnette entered the NHL as a fighter on a crew that had Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin on it, and no one anticipated something from him apart from to be a roster filler.
Bedard has nothing even remotely near any of that round him in Chicago proper now, whereas additionally carrying the expectation of being the franchise participant. He has largely met, if not exceeded, expectations.
Since getting into the NHL at first of the 2023-24 season, Bedard’s 107 whole factors are 45 greater than another participant on the Blackhawks rosters. He’s the one participant on the crew who’s a constant menace to supply, and the one participant who has been even value watching.
It is usually truthful to level out that he’s nonetheless the second-youngest participant in all the NHL, forward of solely 2024 No. 1 total decide Macklin Celebrini (San Jose Sharks).
There’s going to be an adjustment interval for him. There are going to be some rising pains. Particularly when the puck just isn’t on his stick. The actual fact the Blackhawks are relying on a participant that younger, with so little expertise, to be the participant they give the impression of being to for all-around play and dominance is a testomony to each how proficient he’s and the way unhealthy the remainder of the roster is.
He isn’t a whole participant but. However he additionally should not be anticipated to be one at this level. Most gamers his age are nonetheless taking part in junior hockey, school hockey or minor league hockey and will not be anyplace close to the NHL. The actual fact he’s within the NHL and scoring the best way he has been needs to be an enormous signal of encouragement for the Blackhawks.
There’s additionally a lot to criticize about this Blackhawks crew and the group as an entire. It simply largely resides within the entrance workplace.
Bedard may be higher away from the puck. He additionally in all probability will probably be as he good points extra expertise. The crew can be higher in giving him some precise assistance on the ice.
