Connor Bedard’s sophomore season was always going to come with high expectations, but few expected this kind of leap. A year removed from flashes of brilliance mixed with rookie learning curves, Bedard now looks like a fully formed star — calm, lethal and in complete command of the Chicago Blackhawks’ offense. The Blackhawks as a whole look sharper, deeper and far more confident, and Bedard is the centerpiece of that shift.
He currently sits fourth in the NHL in scoring, trailing only three fellow first-overall picks: Nathan MacKinnon, Connor McDavid and Macklin Celebrini. It’s the first time in league history that four former No. 1 picks sit atop the scoring race, a rare meeting between the leagues top present and future superstars at the of the point standings. And right in the middle of it is Chicago’s 20-year-old phenom.
Bedard’s first night wearing a letter for the Blackhawks came with a bit of extra weight. With Chicago’s captain Nick Foligno out of the lineup, Bedard was given the assistant captain “A,” a moment that signaled trust, maturity, and the evolution of the franchise’s future. He responded by playing one of the best games of his young career — an effort worthy of the new stitching on his sweater.
Bedard scored his second career hat trick, becoming the first player this season to record multiple hat tricks and the second of three players who scored hat tricks that night. Chicago’s 5–2 win over the Calgary Flames felt like a statement, and Bedard drove every bit of it.
His first goal was pure determination and speed: chasing down a high flip-out from Sam Rinzel, then steering the puck one-handed through Dustin Wolf’s pads. Early in the third, he struck again, toe-dragging inside Kevin Bahl’s stick before firing a laser over Wolf’s shoulder. He completed his hat trick the night with an empty net goal, sending 17,518 fans at the United Center into a frenzy.
CONNOR BEDARD GETS HIS SECOND CAREER HAT TRICK 🎩 🎩 🎩 pic.twitter.com/l6lTSzGUhq
— NHL (@NHL) November 19, 2025
After the game, Bedard was asked about handling one of an assistant captain’s less glamorous duties — talking to the officials. His answer showed both humor and a growing comfort with the role.
“Yeah, the refs were way nicer to me today. Way nicer! I didn’t get kicked out of the draw for the first time in my career. It was good,” he said. “You watch guys go over there, and you always—I mean, I always — have something to say to the refs. It was fun, and it’s added responsibilities that you appreciate.”
It was the kind of quote that showed a young star settling into leadership without losing his personality. If this is the version of Bedard Chicago gets now — fearless, relaxed, productive — the Blackhawks’ rise may come sooner than expected. And with the “A” stitched to his chest, you can’t help but wonder: how much more can he elevate his game from here?
Connor Bedard and Macklin Celebrini both combined for an NHL feat that hasn’t been seen in more than 80 years with their hat trick performances. They both also moved one back of Nathan MacKinnon (14) for the League lead in goals.#NHLStats: https://t.co/JhhrQPsBfm pic.twitter.com/J72Y1CKD9Q
— NHL Public Relations (@NHLPR) November 19, 2025
His head coach, Jeff Blashill, was just as impressed with what Bedard has shown this season, praising not just the scoring but the maturity behind it.
“You know what I like the most about it is the consistency in his approach… points do come and go. For a guy like him, they come more than they go, but his consistency in his approach has been really good. And I think the fact that he’s come and competed and stopped on pucks and played pretty good defensively and really tried to do the right things on a consistent basis,” he said.
A star rising. A leader forming. And a season that already feels like the beginning of something special in the city of Chicago. The Blackhawks have a bright future ahead of them if they can find the right pieces to surround their young talent with.