NHL Reporter Gives Final Stance on Connor Bedard’s Controversy: “Would Take It as a Compliment”

Connor Bedard is one of the hot prospects who came into the NHL after the Chicago Blackhawks picked him first overall in the 2023 NHL draft. The Blackhawks are a team that is collecting themselves, as their goal is to go back to their glory days of being a top team in the league. However, it will take time, and they already have their hands on Bedard, who has been really effective for them in the current season, despite being a rookie.

Yes, I know Bedard has played the 2023-24 season, but the rookie tagline suffices that he’s still new to the league. However, owing to his latest plays on the ice, he caught the attention of ice hockey legend Mark Messier, who recently criticized his play during a game against the Florida Panthers. Bedard did reply, causing a bit of controversy, with the NHL community splitting into two. However, lately, an NHL reporter has come clean on his thoughts about this situation on the Blackhawks’ #98.

During the 32 Thoughts: The Podcast by Sportsnet on YouTube, when Kyle Bukauskas wanted to know about Elliotte Friedman’s opinion on the controversy, the Canadian reporter shared his thoughts, stating, “Well, number one, if I were Bedard, I would take it as a compliment, and the reason I would take it as a compliment is Wayne Gretzky’s game got picked apart. Mario Lemieux’s game. Mario Lemieux before Pittsburgh got good like people were ruthless about his game. I remember as a teenager.”

Friedman actually got a point. Criticism might not always sound good, but it’s not only Bedard who has faced it. In the history of the NHL, legends like Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux were flamed not only by the experts but also by the fans whenever they made any kind of a rookie mistake on the ice. It’s just a hockey tradition. But why did these legends face criticism during their rookie years in the NHL?

Gretzky, who was 5’11” and 170 lbs during his rookie season, was always considered a physical player and faced criticism for his size. However, later in his career, he transformed into a hero for the Edmonton Oilers, leading them on a journey to secure four Stanley Cups. Lemieux’s journey was somewhat similar, and even if he didn’t lead the Pittsburgh Penguins in his later career, all of his critics vanished when he won two Stanley Cups while playing for the team. 

Friedman also pointed out the current icons on the ice, stating, “Crosby’s game was picked apart. McDavid’s game was picked apart. Matthews’ game has been picked apart. The best players of their generations, when they first got into the NHL, all of their games were picked apart, so on one level I think that is a compliment to Bedard that so much is expected of him.” Indeed, Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid, and Auston Matthews, who have dedicated their careers to a certain franchise from prodigy to top player, were once the ones who were flooded with criticism.

Furthermore, the Canadian NHL reporter shared a note of encouragement to Bedard, stating, “He’s a number one pick; he’s a really talented player, and when people tune in, they want to be impressed, and I don’t see anything that anyone is saying about him being any different than what was said about all those other players I listed, so I think on one level it is a compliment to Bedard that a lot is expected of him.” Friedman had a simple point to make. Every new prospect in the NHL gets blasted by not only the community but also experts. However, what was even the statement that got so much attention out there?

The allegations against Connor Bedard that he had to address

During 9:41 remaining in the 1st period of the Chicago Blackhawks and the Florida Panthers game at Amerant Bank Arena, the home team’s Sam Reinhart secured an opportunity and scored an equalizer. This particular goal further gave the Panthers the required confidence to absolutely dominate the Blackhawks in the later parts of the game. And who got flamed for this?

Connor Bedard caught all the attention, especially from Mark Messier, who shared his thoughts, stating, “This is a choice and this is a consequence for a young player there. He’s right on Sam Reinhart. This is a 50-50 battle. He’s soft on his stick, and — I’m sorry, the excuses for a young player are over now. He has to be better than that. Sure enough, they get a power play and who goes right onto the ice? Bedard.”

The Canadian ice hockey legend didn’t stop there and kept going, stating, “There’s no quicker way to destroy the morale of the team than having players who don’t earn their ice-time. When the player makes a conscious choice to be soft on the puck in that situation right there, there has to be consequences. If there’s not, it will destroy the morale of the team.” But what was Bedard’s reply to this?

“I’m not watching broadcasts or anything. I’m playing hockey. Their job is to say what they see. I couldn’t really care less, to be honest, what people on the outside think of me or us. But of course I’m not going to be butthurt if someone says I make a bad play or whatever. I don’t care. It’s their job to say what they feel and I’m not going to take anything personally,” said the 19-year-old Blackhawks center.

Now, that’s a stern statement to an NHL legend from a rookie. Connor Bedard surely meant no disrespect to Messier, but he understands that he has made a mistake on the ice, and he will get flamed for it. However, taking criticism to heart isn’t something he is concerned about for himself, as he will try to rectify these mistakes and let his performance talk for him.