The Chicago Blackhawks did the predictable last week as they named franchise player Connor Bedard as the Original Six franchise’s 37th captain in history. This was not a surprising development; there were no other options on the team that made more sense than Bedard for the captaincy role. Although, there were some pundits that thought it would be logical to give the honor to the returning Patrick Kane. However, the team went with Bedard in the end. General manager Kyle Davidson discussed the reasoning behind Bedard garnering the captaincy position.
Kyle Davidson Feels Bedard is Ready for the Captaincy
Davidson appeared on SiriusXM NHL Network Radio today to talk about the move to name Bedard captain. He explained on the show why he feels Bedard is prepared for the role: “We felt it was something that Connor was very ready for. We were putting him at this point in his development, both on and off the ice, in a situation to succeed and not something that he could not handle and he felt the same way. In the end with a lot of different input, it felt like the natural and organic decision to make.”
It is clear from these comments that Davidson is confident that Bedard can handle the increased responsibility that comes with being the team’s leader at this stage of his career. Bedard is still young at 21 years old, but he has experience. He is already entering his fourth season in the NHL. Jonathan Toews is the only Blackhawks captain in history who took on the captaincy at a younger age as he was 20. However, Toews was going into just his second season in the league. He had 1/3 of the experience Bedard has had to this point in his situation.
Bedard Tasked with Putting Blackhawks Back on the Map
There is no doubt that there is increased pressure on Davidson’s Blackhawks to get the job done this season. After many years of bottom-feeder finishes, this is a squad with stated aspirations of making a playoff push this upcoming season. These are lofty expectations for a team that finished 31st in the NHL last year.
No player will have more on his plate when it comes to getting this team back into the postseason conversation than captain Bedard. He heads into this season with uncertainty as he sits on the sidelines to begin the year as he rehabs from offseason shoulder surgery. The good news for Bedard is that he has been able to practice in the meantime, so the hope is there will not be rust when he returns to the lineup.
The Blackhawks will need Bedard to be at his best this season if they want to put themselves in the contending mix. With the captaincy and fresh $75 million contract in toe, the pressure will be on Bedard to perform. With that said, pressure is nothing that is new for Bedard. He has faced it throughout his Blackhawks tenure, having been such a highly-touted first overall draft pick in 2023.
Blackhawks GM Reveals Why Connor Bedard Received the Captaincy