The NHL Wasn’t Ready For THIS Connor Bedard.

The NHL Wasn’t Ready For THIS Connor Bedard.

Ladies and gentlemen, Connor Bdard is stunting on the NHL right now. As I’m recording this, leads the entire NHL in point scoring with 25 points through 16 games. And folks, I want to talk about it because heading into the year, I thought Bard was shaping up to have a really interesting season, but I didn’t even think it would be this good. So, make sure you guys watch till the end as we talk about Bard’s game, how much he’s been able to improve yearover-year using highlights and more. And hit that subscribe button if you’re new for more hockey content just like this all throughout the year. It’s interesting now to talk about Connor Baddard because a year ago if you talked about him as this generational type of player, he would have gotten completely laughed at. Everything was seemingly going wrong for Bard in Chicago. Not just with the lack of options around him, but the deployment, the coaching style, nothing really seemed to work for him. While people were unironically calling Badard a bust left and right, he was still putting up fantastic results. Sure, in the defensive end had his warts, but he was a 19-year-old forward. Of course, he had that. Still, with all these quote unquote issues and doubts surrounding him, he still put up 67 points in 82 games last year in his sophomore season and especially considering what Chicago had around him. That was still pretty miraculous. I don’t think people realize the lack of options that Bernard has had up to this point, especially last year, really going through in a lot of ways. Sure, you’d look at it and be like, “Okay, Donado Terrain, and those aren’t horrible players, but he was mostly playing with 2025 Tyler Bertusi, who wasn’t the greatest, players like Nick Felinino, Ilia McKay, Taylor Hall, it was fine, but in terms of actual substantial options to complement Baddard’s play, I just don’t think it was there.” But we’re not here to talk about his prior seasons. We’re here to talk about what has changed going on to this year. Because even though he was scoring very well, getting a lot of points, especially on the power play, there were fundamental issues in Conor Bernard’s game, that did lead to this reputation of a softer, less defensive player, which I don’t think was entirely true, but you could see why that was happening. But you go from a 19-year-old season where you’re scoring 67 points, which is still really good. I think people need to realize that to at his age 20 season where so far in 16 games he has 25 points on pace for 46 goals and 128 points. You can get a good idea of Bedar’s accolades with this tweet with not just being a points leader but the primary points leader in the NHL, the leader in primary assists, tight for the longest active point streak in the NHL and the most points in an active point streak in the NHL with 19 points in nine games. It’s interesting when we talk about the linemates for Connor Bernard so far because it’s not exactly blowing you away on paper. Right now they got Tyler Berusi and Andre Burkoski as the wings, but he’s had guys like Colton Doc, Ryan Green being wingers for him a lot of the time so far, which isn’t amazing. The one player that’s kind of changed things though when it comes to Baddard is Andre Burkoski who has really looked good so far. Those two have been working off each other really well. I think the big thing that Baddar needed was somebody that can consistently match his pace while just being in the right spots at the right times. and Burkovoski win healthy has always proven to be a very good complimentary piece. But now Bard at least has one guy that can match his speed, match his decision-m and meet him on the same wavelength, which I just don’t think has really been the case previously. They’re still doing some tinkering, but the Burkoski Bard connection has been pretty magical so far and much needed for Bedard’s actual deployment on the ice because he hasn’t had really a lot to work with in his NHL career so far. And I’ll give Burkoski his flowers, too, because I think he’s actually played really well on top of being a great support piece for Bard. But just having somebody that has that baseline level of speed and skill and conjunction is just a linemate that Bernard hasn’t had a lot of opportunities with in the past. Maybe we’ll see a player like Oliver Moore come into the full later on in the season, maybe take a spot in the left wing as well. And that could be, I think, really interesting. But I think what you’re starting to see now is Baddard elevate his game and enter into that territory as a player where he elevates everybody that he plays with, which in my opinion is basically the most important thing for a franchise number one center to be able to do no matter the option. Are you able to find results? And Carter Bard sure is finding the results. It’s an interesting phenomenon so far because I think Bard has been carrying Chicago quite a bit recently. But in those first g few games of the season, he was solid. But guys like Frank Nazar, Spencer Knight, they were really the ones stealing the show. But this Chicago team is different to where if Baddar’s going a bit colder, Chicago still has some weapons to work with, some chance to be in these games. And that’s why they’re in the position they were in today because they got off to a pretty solid start without Baddard putting up legendary numbers. And I think that’s honestly made Baddard so much more comfortable and honestly a lot more happy. Throughout his entire time in the NHL, I’ve barely seen Baddard happy. whatsoever. Barely seen him smiling. But over the past couple of weeks, it’s been a complete change in his demeanor. I mean, after the last win against Detroit, he was smiling on the bench. He was he was helping his buddies, having pats on the back. That type of uplifted spirit in Bard is something that I don’t think we’ve even seen until basically this month. But there were still parts in Baddard’s game that needed to improve. And I would argue even though he’s leading the NHL in points, still so much more potential in Baddard’s game, which is the most exciting thing. One of Bernard’s strengths going back to his days as a WHLer was the quick strike mentality. He was somebody that if you gave just a little bit of space could make something magical happen in just a split second and would pop a couple goals in the back of your net. But the rest of the game, the overall compete to the defensive level was still a work in progress, especially for somebody that is a bit of a smaller build. It felt like before his sophomore season, gaining more muscle was the only priority and he got a bit slower in his game. This year though, he’s maxed up to 190 lbs as a 5’10 forward, plus seems to be faster than he has ever been, which is easily the thing that I wanted to see the most out of him. I felt like Bad was playing it a bit safe last year, but also just felt a bit clunkier with his skating. This year though, he is flying up the ice. He’s creating so many more opportunities, and with those chances is actually getting so much more involved in the play. He is not backing down from any fight this year. And I am here for this version of Connor Baddard. Bev plays where he’s going to chip it off the wall, battle for the puck, and just be able to get the pass across to Berkoski for a goal. Magical plays like that that Baddard didn’t quite have in his toolbox. He had the shot, he had these quick passes that would look magical, but he didn’t quite have those effort goals, those dog in him highlights. And this year, that’s been a much needed change. And yes, Bard is always going to get compared to Mlin Cbrini. As unfortunate as I think it is for both of these sensational players. Truly, can these goats not coexist? But I think Baddard in terms of the compete level, in terms of the physicality, has really narrowed the gap. I don’t think in terms of the work ethic, he’s ever going to get to Celrini level because I’m going to be honest, I think very few players in this league could ever reach that. But you combine so many attributes that are improved this year with the skating speed, with the physicality, with the intensity on and especially away from the puck and you have a player that is looking so much more franchise level that I think he has ever before. The talent was of course never in question, but I think people were starting to wonder if he would be that top caliber player. Well, I think Bard is starting to quiet any of those possible doubts up to this point, and I hope to see it continue. There are things in Bard’s game that I didn’t think he would ever be able to improve upon, but especially in the last week or so, we’ve seen him be able to outmuscle players. I mean, that goal that he scored, stripping the puck away from Morgan Frost while putting the between the leg pass on him and being able to score it in the breakaway right after, that’s the type of generational move that you don’t see very often from anybody in the NHL, but it’s why Bard’s special mix of talent was always so tantalizing. But those improvements in his muscle and speed make it a lot easier for him to get by defensively. I don’t think he’s ever going to be perfect positionally and I don’t think he’s ever going to really dig in with his body because I think he does play it a bit safe at times and probably will still for the longest time. But as long as he’s getting by defensively, creating a few turnovers here and there and scoring like he’s scoring, it honestly doesn’t even matter. The thing that I am going to find interesting here is that I think a lot of the doubts now are going to be, oh, what will he end up doing in the playoffs now? But that’s just the thing. That’s the elevated conversation that Bard has set for himself now that this Chicago team is in the race for the playoffs, has the potential to make it, and that’s the only thing you can kind of throw against him. Plus, he hasn’t even made the playoffs. We don’t even know how good he could end up being. But he’s gotten to such a level now in the regular season of just pure dominance, especially in the points department, that that’s now the conversation doubters are starting to have. That’s the only thing they could really talk about because you can’t doubt the play that he is serving up right now. In general though, I am just really happy for Connor himself because the talent was there. It was obvious for everybody to see that was watching games. There was just some things needed to tighten up, some things he needed to get a bit faster in. And honestly, Chicago just need to get a bit better. They needed to have a few more prospects enter the system that could actually play up to Bard’s level. Now that that is the case, now that he has a player like Levnav as well to work off the power play, it’s all starting to click into place. And I kind of expected that to be the case. And for the longest time, I felt pretty bad because he was hyped up incredibly just to be immediately dumped on once he got to the NHL, even though he was in basically the worst possible position for an 18-year-old smaller forward to enter it. Now that Chicago has gotten just a bit better, you can see the elevation in Bedard’s game. Plus, how much work he’s put in to get better is clearly showing itself on the ice. To the doubters, to the haters, it’s not too late to jump back on the train. But those are my thoughts on Conver and his amazing start to this season. Of course, comment down below your thoughts on Dart up to this point. How many points do you see him getting by the end? And what have you been most impressed with with his improving game? Of course, hit that like button, hit that subscribe button, hit the notification bell if you guys enjoyed the breakdown, and share with all the hockey fans you guys know online. And click on this card if you want some more hockey content just like this. And if you want even more content, you can become a channel member here today. A lot of extra content there every single week, plus exclusive member polls to be a part of as well. You can hit the join button next to subscribe button or hit the link in the description down below, and it helps the channel out a ton. A big thank you to the current channel members. Their names will be up here on the screen. But I’ll see you guys in the next one. Have a fantastic cocky day and goodbye. [Music]

► Hello guys and welcome back! Today I wanted to break down Connor Bedard and his SPECIAL start to the 2025-26 NHL season, and how he been able to cement himself back into the GENERATIONAL conversation!

Let’s breakdown what’s changed in Connor Bedard’s play, how he’s been able to become one of the best players in the NHL year, and what this means for Chicago’s long term potential!
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