Sometimes, No. 1 overall draft picks don’t live up to the hype. That isn’t the case with Chicago Blackhawks forward Connor Bedard. No, the Hawks aren’t contending for a playoff spot, but Bedard is more than delivering on his promise with 13 goals, 17 assists for 30 points in just 33 games to date.
No goal was prettier than the beauty Bedard pulled off on Saturday night, though — a “Michigan” goal, aka a wraparound, lacrosse-style lamplighter that poor Blues goalie Jordan Binnington never saw coming:
⚠️ CONNOR BEDARD MICHIGAN GOAL‼️ THIS IS NOT A DRILL. ⚠️ pic.twitter.com/KPWcsVGzo0
— NHL (@NHL) December 24, 2023
Unfortunately for Chicago and Bedard, the contest ended in a 7-5 defeat.
But in terms of moral victories, you can’t do much better than getting a shout out from The Great One himself, Wayne Gretzky, who was on hand in St. Louis to see Bedard’s brilliance:
The Great One applauding greatness. 👏@WayneGretzky was in attendance for Connor Bedard's Michigan goal tonight! pic.twitter.com/vA3OfL8Ak9
— NHL (@NHL) December 24, 2023
NOT TO BE OUTDONE was Anaheim Ducks star Trevor Zegras.
The man who’s made the Michigan goal cool at the NHL level actually pulled off an even smoother execution of the feat than Bedard did
ZEGRAS RETURNS TO THE LINEUP AND HITS THE MICHIGAN! 🥵 pic.twitter.com/3cqQyxwGTm
— NHL (@NHL) December 24, 2023
Zegras had only just returned to the lineup for his 12th game of the season, which is probably why, despite the Ducks losing 3-2 at home to the Kraken, he was given first-star honors at the end of the evening. What an absolutely filthy bit of stickhandling to beat Seattle netminder Joey Daccord.
It’s always a bummer to see youthful talents like Bedard and Zegras waste years of their careers on bad teams. The situation is a little more pressing for Zegras, whose Ducks haven’t come close to sniffing the playoffs in the previous four seasons. He debuted during the 2020-21 campaign and was their leading scorer last season.
Tough breaks for Anaheim. Having Zegras miss a good chunk of this season, skidding to a 12-21 record as of last night, and losing Shohei Ohtani to the Dodgers? WOOF.
Meanwhile, as even NHL casuals likely know, Bedard is the most highly touted prospect since Connor McDavid. Great to see him deliver amid adverse circumstances for the 10-22-1 Blackhawks. Let’s hope they can build a decent nucleus around him within the next couple years. You never know when a youth movement will pop.
It happened with the Jack Hughes-led New Jersey Devils last season in the former No. 1 overall pick’s fourth season. Pretty sure Chicagoans will expect a Year 3 spike with a generational player like Bedard in the fold.
Please enjoy the two Michigan goals of Bedard and Zegras split-screened together. Merry Christmas Eve, happy holidays and all that!
Two Michigan goals in one night. A gift to you, hockey fans. 🎁 pic.twitter.com/4dFhhg3s5h
— NHL (@NHL) December 24, 2023
