Chicago Blackhawks rookie forward Connor Bedard recorded a hat trick in his prospects game debut against the St. Louis Blues on Saturday. Here’s what you need to know:
- Bedard scored his first goal on a wrist shot in the second period. His third goal came in the final frame from Nick Lardis’ assist.
- The 18-year-old was the Blackhawks’ No. 1 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.
- The Blackhawks will face the Minnesota Wild on Sunday in the final game of the Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase. Chicago opens its season on Oct. 10 against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
🚨HAT TRICK CONNOR BEDARD🚨 pic.twitter.com/ltdmshwdPp
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) September 17, 2023
Backstory
In addition to racking up 134 goals and 271 points across three WHL seasons, Bedard has dazzled on the international stage. He led all players at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship with nine goals and 14 assists in seven games to claim MVP honors and help Canada to a second straight gold medal.
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The Blackhawks entered the draft lottery with an 11.5 percent chance of landing the top selection after finishing the regular season with a 26-49-7 record, third-worst in the NHL. This marked just the second time in franchise history Chicago held the No. 1 pick. The team selected eventual three-time Stanley Cup champion Patrick Kane first overall in 2007.
Required reading
(Photo: Michael Reaves / Getty Images)
