Updated: Mar 22
Ahead of the Blackhawks versus Flyers matchup on Saturday, Connor Bedard says, ‘I could name 100 things I could do better’ following his recent slump in form and 11-game scoring drought. Despite not contributing as much as he would have hoped in recent games, his form is nothing to worry about for the Blackhawks and their fans and could be seen in a more positive light than you think.
The 2024 Calder Trophy winner came off of an amazing rookie year with 61 points in 68 games, most coming while nursing a jaw injury. He hasn't maintained his form so much in his second year in the windy city but is still producing points at an elite level for a player his age. So far, Bedard has 15 points on the season, with only 3 coming from goals, but despite his frustration and lack of scoring, the 19-year-old still leads the Blackhawks in points.
One key issue surrounding Bedard’s scoreless streak is the constant changes within the lineups and the overall struggle the coaching staff are having while finding good line chemistry. So far this season, Bedard has had over 10 different line combinations in 20 games, which is indubitably having an effect on his scoring ability and having a negative effect on his chemistry with other players. Even though he hasn't been producing as well as he would have liked, it's clear there are a number of obstacles obstructing him from being the true playmaker he is, and the issue of constant line changes is a clear example of this.
Coming into a fierce game against the Flyers and fellow draft class member Matvei Michkov, Bedard will most likely be played on the top line left wing again by head coach Luke Richardson, a position many believe suits his style of play better than the centre position. After 20 games, Bedard has a rather disappointing win percentage from the faceoff dot, with a percentage of 29.7%, a figure that is not up to scratch for a top-line centre. Had Bedard make the change indefinitely to the wing, it would relieve him of his backchecking duties and the massive pressure of faceoff wins and would give him more focus on his playmaking during the game. With the Blackhawks centre depth chart being bleak as it is, a centre such as Morgan Frost, who has been rumoured to join the Blackhawks, could be a perfect linemate for Bedard for the centre position, or young rookie Frank Nazar, who is lighting it up in Rockford, is definitely a good option for the Blackhawks to consider. The option of converting Bedard into a winger is definitely something to think about, but his current woes in the centre position are nothing to worry about at all for the Blackhawks, as with many years to come, his game maturity is certain to rise.
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