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IN THE SECOND month of his second NHL season, Connor Bedard’s sophomore slump hit hard. After matching his massive pre-draft hype by winning the Calder Trophy last spring as the NHL’s top rookie with 22 goals and 61 points in 68 games, Bedard’s production flatlined in November.

“I could name 100 things [I could do better],” Bedard said as he endured a 12-game goalless drought. “I don’t know, man. It has been frustrating, for sure.”

The teenager’s expected goals percentage was up from a season prior. His opponents were limited to fewer shot attempts when he was on the ice. But the results didn’t follow, especially in the faceoff circle, where Bedard was routinely getting defeated. The coaches even temporarily moved Bedard to the wing, hoping that could be a jump start.

TV cameras relentlessly followed Bedard during every shift, then captured every bench door he slammed and every anguished expression that followed — often in dramatic slow motion.

“It was probably the first time he’s ever had anything negative written about him,” Blackhawks captain Nick Foligno said. “It was always, ‘How good is this kid?’ Now things weren’t coming as easy. There’s a lot of internal pressure on himself, too. He really wants to be the greatest. And when he’s not impacting the game, he’s like, ‘What the hell?’ Even though it might not be him, it’s the game or the circumstance. That burden can be heavy.”

The drought fell over the Blackhawks’ trip to Vancouver, the first time Bedard could play an NHL game in his hometown. Because there was an NHLPA-mandated off day before the game against the Canucks, Bedard took an Uber to his parents’ house as soon as the team landed. He slept in his childhood bed, then spent the day with close friends and family. Staying on brand, he even whipped a few pucks in their backyard shooting range.

Many around Bedard hoped it would be the reset he needed. Not quite. Bedard was held off the scoresheet as the Canucks beat the Blackhawks 4-1 — Chicago’s 11th loss in 18 games. The cast of players auditioning as Bedard’s linemates appeared to be a never-ending carousel. Chicago kept letting games slip away late. The results cost coach Luke Richardson his job earlier this month.

From the outside, it was a nightmare situation for Bedard — who was anointed as a franchise savior well before he hit NHL ice. People wanted to compare Bedard to other top draft picks — such as this past year’s No. 1, Macklin Celebrini, or the other Connor, McDavid — then wondered if he wasn’t hitting his marks.

“I told him, ‘As much as everyone wants to build you up, there are many people who want to see you fail,'” Foligno said. “It’s sad, but that’s the world we live in. What matters is that everyone in this room wants you to do well.”

Those closest to Bedard insist they have never heard him complain about linemates or coaches — not before he got to the NHL, and certainly not now. Instead, during difficult times such as this fall, Bedard looks at himself in the mirror and thinks he might be letting everyone around him down. He is fueled by a deep desire to win, and believes if he stays disciplined to his routine, things will start to break his way.


OVER THE PAST month, Bedard seems to have rediscovered some swagger. Since breaking his drought, he has seven goals and 17 points in his last 16 games. The new interim coach, Anders Sorensen, is committed to finding solutions to help Bedard, including landing on somewhat consistent linemates in Taylor Hall and Tyler Bertuzzi.

“Honestly right now, I feel not bad,” Bedard said Sunday. “I’m playing decently. I’m always trying to get better but my game’s getting to a good spot and so is the team. We’ve been playing more aggressively, that’s probably the biggest thing. … And it’s been good working with Anders. He is to the point. He tells us what he wants and he’s passionate. He loves to win, and obviously so do I.”

The Blackhawks are in a rebuild, but they’ve lost a lot in the last two seasons. They ride a four-game losing streak into the Winter Classic, and the Blackhawks are dead last in the NHL standings. That opens them up to critique. But one thing the organization feels adamant about: the noise around Bedard’s sophomore season has been too loud and too skewed.

“It’s the funniest narrative ever, like there’s something wrong with this kid,” Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson said. “He’s 19 years old, he’s just under a point-per-game player, and somehow he’s broken? Inevitably, we want to draw every conclusion possible then we want to put it into context historically. Then there’s the answer, right? Nobody wants to wait to see how things play out.”

Davidson knows it’s hard to preach patience. It’s easy to ask if the Blackhawks are doing a disservice to a generational talent such as Bedard by not expediting their rebuild. It’s the existential question: Could placing a highly driven superstar in a losing culture for too long do too much damage?

Then there’s the issue of visibility, as the Blackhawks’ new RSN partner, Chicago Sports Network, has yet to work out a deal with Chicago’s biggest cable provider, Comcast. The Blackhawks believe Bedard will excite a new generation of Chicago fans, who were spoiled by three Stanley Cups from 2010 to 2015. Now, many haven’t been able to watch Bedard consistently, as negotiations with CHSN drag on.

But as Davidson sees it, patience is the only path forward. Ownership granted his front office the luxury of conducting a rebuild “the right way” — a years-long process, spanning several drafts — to create a sustainable contender. After finishing last season with the NHL’s second-worst record, the Blackhawks signed several veterans to patch this season’s roster as the club waits for its top prospects to develop.

“The timeline’s going to be what the players dictate and you have to be patient,” Davidson said. “You always want the immediate payoff and I understand that, but we also have to be realistic and not put players in situations that they’re not ready for. This is the first wave. But my goodness, we’re pretty excited about some of the guys that are in amateur hockey and in college and junior and in Europe.”

Recent first-rounders Frank Nazar and Kevin Korchinski earned December call-ups after tearing up minor hockey. The initial plan was for Nazar to stay in the AHL until the spring, but he forced a promotion with 11 goals and 24 points in his first 21 games in Rockford.

Over the next year, any combination of Artyom Levshunov (No. 2 pick in 2024), Oliver Moore (No. 19 in 2023), Nick Lardis (third round, 2023), Sam Rinzel (No. 25 in 2022) and Ryan Greene (second round, 2022) should follow. Ethan Del Mastro (fourth round, 2021) and Landon Slaggert (third round, 2020) are projected to make the NHL roster as role players. Perhaps most intriguing is 20-year-old Roman Kantserov (second round, 2023), who is thriving in Russia’s KHL.

Further down the pipeline, the Blackhawks are excited about their other 2024 first-rounder, 18-year-old Sacha Boisvert. They also have two elite goalie prospects in 20-year-old Adam Gajan and 22-year-old Drew Commesso.

If all goes according to plan, this group will be surrounding Bedard when the Blackhawks are ready to win again. They just have to get through the uncomfortable stage first.

“You guys came to the rink for 20 years, won Stanley Cups and beat the hell out of everybody, and you just assume that’s the way it should go every year,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said in November regarding the Blackhawks’ run of success in the 2010s. “But you’ve got good young players. Got a superstar. It’s just a matter of time.”


THE CHALLENGE FOR Bedard and the Blackhawks this season is not to not let things spiral. Nazar, who is just 20, explains it as such: not letting their record dictate the way they play, and showing up consistently every night. For a young player such as Nazar, it’s important to establish that culture. It’s easier said than done.

Foligno, who is playing in his 18th NHL season, put it bluntly: “What this season’s taught me is how hard it is to break from losing habits.”

“When you lose, things creep into your game and into your organization that you don’t want to have,” Foligno said. “And it’s hard to break out, even when you bring in different personnel, it’s still a little lingering effect that you have to work through. This year, we’ve all expected to take a bigger step than we probably have, but I don’t want to call it disappointment. There’s still 50 games left, but we’re not where we want to be right now. And I think that’s the encouraging part too, that we can get there.”

Sorensen had the unenviable task of coming in mid-season, in a league that has so little practice time. But players have noted his intentionality in how he runs drills, communicates, and shows video clips. Sorensen, who coached both in his native Sweden and for the Chicago Mission AAA before joining the Blackhawks organization, also has experience with highly skilled players; he has coached Maple Leafs star William Nylander on and off since he was 5-years-old, and considers Nylander’s father, Michael, one of his closest friends. Sorensen also coached Boston star David Pastrnak in Sweden. When Sorensen got the Blackhawks job, Pastrnak texted his former teammates Hall and Foligno that their new coach was the real deal. That helped establish credibility.

“What I’ve learned is that there is a team structure, certain things that are non-negotiable,” Sorensen said. “But with a guy like Connor, sometimes he knows more than you do as coaches. So let’s not try to cramp him. There’s so many attributes he has as a special player, so we ask him to trust his instincts, especially offensively.”

Sorensen’s initial focus was helping Bedard’s teammates help him, and that’s by getting Bedard the puck while he’s in motion. Sorensen doesn’t believe it’s ideal for Bedard to cycle through so many linemates. At the same time, the new coach is finding ways to give Bedard even more looks — putting him on different lines within games, especially in the offensive zone.

“For me, it’s simple. He’s our best player, we want him on the ice, right?” Sorensen said. “So let’s try to get him in different situations, get him away from matchups and whatnot. And he’s responded really well to that.”

In the meantime, they’ve sometimes kept Bedard away from the faceoff circle (having wings take that duty). About once a week, Yanic Perreault — one of the NHL’s greatest faceoff takers during his 859-game career, who now works with the Blackhawks as a development coach — comes to practice. Perrault, who has a similar stature to Bedard, is teaching the young center how to leverage his body, as well as a few stick tricks that can help him win against bigger centers.

Bedard is a notorious rink rat. Last season, Blackhawks coaches sometimes hid Bedard’s sticks or took the steel out of his blades to keep him from staying at the rink too long.

“Now that he’s been through the NHL grind, he has learned there’s only so much energy and you don’t want to tap into that reservoir too heavily,” Davidson said. “So I think there’s a little bit of an understanding. Having said that, he still loves it, still loves putting in the work. So he’s still around a lot.”

Bedard remains polite and accessible. He doesn’t enjoy media obligations — he’d rather be working on his game — but understands their function, and dutifully says yes to most of the requests the Blackhawks receive. Over the summer, he wasn’t initially thrilled about the pitch from Chicago Magazine to do a photo shoot at the Chicago Art Institute, recreating the iconic scene from “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.” After all, the movie came out 19 years before Bedard was born. But then it was explained why it was a big deal. And another selling point: The museum was offering to close off a wing, which they never do — only for the Obamas.

“People tend to forget he’s one of the youngest players in the league, and what he’s doing still at his age is impressive,” Foligno said. “People are going to compare him to all the greats and maybe that’s fair or unfair, but he’s going to be his own player. He’s already said that he’s not trying to be the next Sidney Crosby, the next Connor McDavid. He’s going to be Connor Bedard. And whether that takes him next year to really hit his stride or five years, it’s going to be fun to watch what he can become.”

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Freeman, Franklin eye boost to all Black coaches

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Freeman, Franklin eye boost to all Black coaches

Notre Dame‘s Marcus Freeman and Penn State‘s James Franklin are aware they are on the brink of making history in the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl on Thursday.

The winner will become the first Black head coach to take a team to the national championship game. Both were asked about that possibility during their respective news conferences Saturday previewing their matchup.

Franklin said it reminded him of Super Bowl XLI between Tony Dungy and Lovie Smith in 2007, the first Super Bowl featuring Black head coaches. Franklin was the offensive coordinator at Kansas State at the time, coaching for Ron Prince, another Black head coach.

“I remember thinking that, as a coach, how significant that was in the profession, and how significant that was for young coaches coming up in the profession, to see those guys in that role,” Franklin said. “I also remember, at that time, there were a lot of conversations about, ‘Will this impact the profession? Will this impact opportunities for guys?'”

At the time, there were six Black head coaches in college football, Franklin said. There are now 16 head coaches in 134 FBS programs, something Franklin described as progress.

“I know some people will say, ‘Well, that that’s not a huge increase,’ but it is an increase,” Franklin said. “At the end of the day, does this create opportunities for more guys to get in front of athletic directors? Does this create opportunities for search firms? I hope so. I think at the end of the day, you just want an opportunity, and you want to be able to earn it through your work and through your actions. I take a lot of pride in it.”

When Freeman was asked, he made sure to note that he is also half-Korean, a nod to his mother. But he also understands the significance of the moment.

“It’s a reminder that you are a representation for so many others that look like you, and I don’t take that for granted,” Freeman said. “I’m going to work tirelessly to be the best version of me, and it’s great, because even the guys in our program can understand, ‘Don’t put a ceiling on what you can be and what you can do.’

“Now, with that being said, it’s not about me. It’s about us. More than anything, I want to achieve team glory with this program.”

Freeman was also asked how he can inspire other young coaches who are watching him on this stage.

“If you want to impact the young people in this profession, you probably should do things to help them, and those are things that maybe after the season I could focus on trying to do,” Freeman said. “I want to be a representation. But that’s not enough. If you want to truly help some people, then you got to be one to make decisions and actions that truly help people.”

Franklin said he is honored to be in position to coach against Freeman in the semifinal.

“I’m honored to be able to compete against Notre Dame. Most importantly, I’m honored to represent Penn State and the young men in that locker room,” Franklin said. “For me to sit here and say that it’s not important, it’s not significant, that would not be accurate.”

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PSU’s Franklin: ‘Too early’ to say if Carter plays

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PSU's Franklin: 'Too early' to say if Carter plays

Penn State All-American defensive end Abdul Carter is working back from an apparent left arm injury, and while coach James Franklin said it’s “too early” to determine Carter’s status for the College Football Playoff semifinal against Notre Dame, there’s optimism about his return.

“At this point, I don’t think there’s anything stopping him from playing, but it’s going to come down to, how is he able to play?” Franklin said Saturday. “We’ll see. But his mentality is great. He’s excited about this week, but it’s too early to say at this stage.”

Carter left the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl against Boise State on Tuesday in the first quarter, not recording any statistics before exiting and not returning. No. 6 seed Penn State won 31-14 to advance to the Capital One Orange Bowl, where it will face No. 7 seed Notre Dame on Thursday night.

Carter, 6-foot-3 and 252 pounds, became Penn State’s first consensus All-America selection since Saquon Barkley in 2017. He also was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and Defensive Lineman of the Year. ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. lists Carter as the No. 2 prospect for the 2025 NFL draft, behind Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter of Colorado.

Carter posted a social media message Tuesday of Darth Vader in a bacta tank from the movie “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” indicating his recovery process from the injury.

“He’s doing great. His attitude is great. His mentality has been really good,” Franklin said. “We’ll see, but he’s taken the right approach and mentality, and it’s really going to come down to how he feels and how much practice he’s going to get during the week.”

Franklin does not usually provide injury updates about players who are not out for the season but understands the attention around Carter, who leads Penn State in sacks (11) and tackles for loss (21.5) and ranks second in quarterback hurries (8) and fourth in total tackles (63). A Philadelphia native, Carter moved from linebacker to defensive end this season under new defensive coordinator Tom Allen. He has 22 career sacks, 37.5 tackles for loss, 5 forced fumbles, 1 interception and 13 passes defended.

Penn State players are off Saturday before returning to practice Sunday.

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Irish hurry CFP prep with 2 fewer days than PSU

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Irish hurry CFP prep with 2 fewer days than PSU

Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman says his team has to “expedite the preparation” with fewer days than Penn State to get ready for the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl on Thursday.

During a news conference Saturday in South Bend, Indiana, Freeman was asked about the challenges presented after the team’s quarterfinal game against Georgia in the Allstate Sugar Bowl was delayed one day following a deadly terrorist attack in New Orleans.

The Irish beat the Bulldogs 23-10 on Thursday, while Penn State beat Boise State 31-14 in its quarterfinal game Tuesday.

Freeman pointed out that his team came out of the Georgia game relatively healthy and is proceeding as if this is a normal game week. Notre Dame’s only significant injury was suffered by backup tight end Cooper Flanagan, who sustained a foot injury that will keep him out of the rest of the playoffs.

“How you handle the unpredictable things in life will determine the success, and so the greatest thing about this week is it’s just a normal game week,” Freeman said. “Now what we’ve got to do is utilize the time. We have to expedite the preparation because what you miss in terms of not having those couple days is the mental preparation of knowing exactly what to do. We’ve got to make sure we utilize every hour of the day to capitalize off of the preparation. For us, this is just game week.”

Freeman has led the Irish to the semifinals after a Week 2 loss at Northern Illinois that could have derailed the season. Instead, they treated every week like a playoff game and are now on the brink of playing for a national championship.

As a result, there is far more noise surrounding the program heading into the semifinal, something Freeman acknowledged. But he also knows it is important not to deviate from what got the Irish to this moment.

“I think it’s human nature to enjoy people saying good things about you,” Franklin said. “It’s human nature. But we’ve talked all year about being misfits. That’s what we have to continue to be. You have to make the choice to either waste time listening to people tell you how good you are or you’re going to put your time into preparing for this opportunity right in front of us. That’s been my message loud and clear, and we all have to make that choice.”

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