CHICAGO — There’s something different about offseason Connor Bedard.
There’s a little less edge, a little more comfort. Maybe it’s him simply getting into some of his Lululemon swag instead of his hockey gear. But he’s noticeably more relaxed talking to the media after the season than during it. That was true after his first two NHL seasons, and that was even more pronounced Thursday as he answered questions on a wide range of topics for 15-plus minutes the day after his third NHL season came to a close.
Some of that also comes with being a 20-year-old who has played 219 NHL games rather than an 18- or 19-year-old still figuring out both himself and the NHL. He’ll turn 21 in July. Bedard is now more sure of himself on and off the ice than he’s ever been.
None of that was truer Thursday than when he was asked what it’d mean if the Blackhawks named him their next captain. It’s a question that, in the past, he probably would have politely answered but mostly avoided. Thursday, he took it head-on.
“It’d be an honor,” Bedard said. “It’d be extremely special. We have a lot of guys in this room who can lead and take on those kind of roles. If I’m the one who is chosen for that, I’d be extremely grateful and that’s not something anyone would take for granted. This is a special organization; it’s been around for 100 years now. You see the names that have gotten that honor, that would be amazing. But whatever fits the team best and whatever Kyle (Davidson) and everyone is thinking on that. Whatever happens, happens with that.”
The follow-up question and answer were just as telling. It was asked if he felt as if he was ready for such a responsibility.
“Yeah, I’m always going to feel like that,” Bedard said. “How tight our room is, how close everyone is off the ice, it makes it so easy for anyone to be in that role. If I did get the C, I’m not going to change who I am and become something different just because of that letter. Obviously, it’s an added responsibility that I do think I’d be ready for. But a lot of guys could be ready for it in that room, but it would be a special honor, for sure.”
It’d be shocking if the Blackhawks named anyone but Bedard their captain sometime between now and next season. That’s partly because he is by far the Blackhawks’ best player. But Bedard has also shown he’s more willing to accept being a team leader. He may not approach the role the same as Nick Foligno, the Blackhawks’ last captain, certainly not in how vocal Foligno was, but there are similarities to their leadership traits. Bedard says the right things, does the right things, will do anything verbally or physically to defend his teammates — he looked keen to fight 6-foot-4, 212-pound Zack Ostapchuk in Frank Nazar’s defense Wednesday — and will seek to treat the position and organization with respect and class.
Bedard also has earned the respect of his teammates, young and old.
“I think he stayed steady to who he was,” said Blackhawks forward Oliver Moore, who Bedard described as having an imprint on his couch because Moore was at his place so often. “That’s what makes him a great leader. He continued to bring consistency on and off the ice. Just the guy he is, with the work he puts in, it can go unnoticed sometimes. Culturally, having your best player be your hardest working is something that’s going to drive guys like me, young guys. I think he continued to bring that every day and that’s what’s going to make him a special leader.”
Ryan Donato, one of the remaining team veterans, shared a similar view of Bedard.
“From day one of him being here, he’s been an extremely mature guy that wants to win and always does the right things,” Donato said. “He’d be a great candidate (for team captain) and very deserving. As a guy that has played with him and been on the team since he’s been here, I’ve seen how he’s changed as a person and player, and he’s shown everybody in this organization, including me, that he knows what it takes to win. He’s put in the work and he’s dedicated and obviously, he’s the franchise player. We want to make sure we play our best for him, but he wants to give his best to every guy.”
Davidson called the decision on the Blackhawks’ next captain an organizational one. He said the organization would take its time with the decision to get it right.
That commitment between Bedard and the Blackhawks will take the form of a new contract come this offseason as his entry-level deal expires. There were plenty of questions posed to him about the length, term, timeline and more about that coming contract.
Bedard described himself as “easy” when it comes to those negotiations, but whether his agents will be is to be determined.
“I kind of just wanted to play the year and I’m not worried for a second,” Bedard said. “Honestly, I haven’t thought about it once this year. I know I want to be here and we’ll get it done soon. I don’t think (that) if it’s not done in a month, there’s any worry or anything. It’ll just get done when it gets done.”
Bedard was just as vague as to whether he’s thinking short-term or long-term. He said they’ll figure out what fits him and the team best.
Where Bedard’s salary cap number ends up will likely impact the Blackhawks in some way. The organization would obviously like to sign him at a team-friendly number for as long as possible. Bedard is cognizant of that to some extent, too. He knows his contract will fit into a puzzle of contracts.
“I don’t know, I’m not smart enough to be doing numbers or anything like that,” Bedard said. “I think there is that sort of setting the (precedent) of a lot of our guys. Obviously, Frankie (Nazar) was the first young guy to sign long-term, Vlasy (Alex Vlasic) as well. So, you think about that. But at the end of the day, it’s just seeing what fits the team best, what fits me best and just going from there. I’m very open to however they see it and what they have to say.”
For Davidson, he’s already put a lot of thought into how Bedard’s contract fits into the larger picture. Davidson wouldn’t get into specifics, but he was willing to explain the importance of landing in the right financial range.
“I think (it) probably goes to the larger cap puzzle we’re trying to build and remain competitive within the marketplace,” Davidson said. “In the end, there’s only so many dollars to go around. You want to build a deep team. You want to build a team you feel is a championship roster, which is why we do this. So we want to get it right. You want to make sure both sides feel like there’s common ground there. So we’ll get down to finding that shortly. But certainly, we want to make sure we’re more than fair, while also understanding that there is a finite amount of money to go around to spend on our roster, again, while being fair to a very good, elite young player.”
Bedard didn’t want to tip his hand too much about his contract. But when it came to his desire to win with the Blackhawks, he was much more direct.
“I talk about wanting to win, we all want to win, I want to win here for as long as I’m playing,” Bedard said. “At the end of the day, I have so much faith in the management, the coaching and also our players. We get to see each other every day, how we approach the game, how guys practice, how much skill there is. I would go to bat for any single guy in that room and argue they’re going to reach their full potential because of the mindset and work ethic we have in our group. I can’t be more confident that we’re going to get to where we want to get to. It’s going to be a fun journey. I think that’s what people say they look back on, is kind of growing up together and kind of getting better and better. We’re motivated to do that.”
Bedard was unsure whether he’d play for Canada at the World Championships. Not having a contract done could factor into that. But aside from that, Bedard was hopeful to build on what he did last offseason. He focused on his skating and getting faster and did just that. His increase in production from 23 goals and 67 points in 82 games last season to career-highs of 30 goals and 75 points in 69 games this season was a product of that offseason work.
“I think kind of similar goals for me,” Bedard said. “Everyone’s going to say faster, stronger kind of thing, but I think trying to get another step is always going to be what I’m doing. If I can get a bit quicker every year, then it’s just going to help my game in so many ways. That’s probably my main goal and just kind of work on everything on the ice and whatever. I’m looking forward to that chance to have some time to improve myself and my game.”
A year from now, Bedard doesn’t want to be in the same spot again. The Blackhawks have finished in 31st place in all three of Bedard’s NHL seasons so far. He understands that how the Blackhawks are being built takes time and is optimistic about the other young players who have arrived and are still coming. He was non-committal when asked if the Blackhawks should add players in the offseason, but did say, “whenever you can add good players, it’s going to help you.”
Bedard put the onus more on himself and his teammates to improve than on Blackhawks management to improve the team. Bedard believes they can be a different team at this time of year next season.
“You know what? As players and coaches, every day you’re trying to win,” Bedard said. “We have an understanding when we sit back and look at our group and how young we are and whatnot, but on a day-to-day basis, I don’t think rebuild is said in our room one time. We’re trying to win each and every day. We’re not really thinking about that, but with having an understanding somewhat at the end of the day, we know we’ve got to start winning. It’s been a while. I think it takes a toll on you and you want to make that step. We talk about it all the time, but it’s on us to go out there, have good summers, come back and make that leap.”