Blackhawks’ Connor Bedard says Canada, U.S. rivalry is ‘in really good place’
Left on the outside looking in for Canada’s 4 Nations Face-Off roster, Connor Bedard took the chance to soak in the tournament and his country’s tournament victory from a distance.
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It’s rare for Connor Bedard to enjoy hockey as just a fan.
But left on the outside looking in for Canada’s 4 Nations Face-Off roster, Bedard took the chance to soak in the tournament and his country’s tournament victory from a distance.
“Just an unreal game,” Bedard said Friday from Chicago Blackhawks practice of Canada’s 3-2 overtime win over the United States. “Close as it can be for competition… So, it’s super fun to watch. As a Canadian, you’re happy they pulled it off.”
How much did Bedard fan out when Connor McDavid buried the tournament clincher?
“I was excited to see them win, but I’m not jumping up and down. I guess I’m smiling,” Bedard said with a laugh. “I think anyone gets a little fired up watching when you’re seeing the rivalry. I was excited when they won in OT, but just so fun to watch.”
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The 19-year-old hockey sensation has already had his fair share of international competition, sporting the Maple Leaf at six different tournaments, including gold medal efforts at the IIHF U-18 World Championships in 2021 and the world juniors in 2022 and 2023.
But as the rivalry between Canada and the USA ratcheted up throughout the 4 Nations tournament, Bedard couldn’t help but think about what comes next for best-on-best hockey.
“You watch those games and just how close it is… I think if there’s a best-of-seven series, it’s probably going to Game 7, to overtime,” he said. “It’s good for the sport, just how competitive a lot of countries are, and obviously, that’s a big rivalry that’s in a really good place right now.
“To think that there’s going to be the Olympics next year, too, it’ll be even more ramped up. So, it’s going to be pretty cool that we get that best-on-best back.”
As far as his place on Canada’s roster at the Milano Cortina Games, the Blackhawks’ points leader insists he isn’t thinking that far ahead.
However, he did acknowledge what the opportunity represents.
“If you ask anyone, they obviously want to be (on the team),” Bedard said. “If anyone gets that opportunity, they’d be over the moon, and obviously, I would be myself. But I haven’t put too much thought into it. Just focus on being here and playing as well as I possibly can.”
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Fifty-five games into his sophomore campaign, Bedard hasn’t quite reached the heights that were expected of him as he entered the NHL as the 2023 No. 1 pick. But he entered the 4 Nations break looking rejuvenated after a coaching coach in Chicago.
Bedard has 15 goals and 49 points on the season, but 11 and 30 of those have come in the 29 games since Anders Sorensen took over as the Blackhawks’ bench boss.
Chicago emerges from the break with a 17-31-7 record and 41 points, which has it sitting second last in the Western Conference and the NHL.
So, as the Blackhawks continue to search for a way out of their rebuild, Bedard’s best chance at returning to the sport’s biggest stage may depend on whether he can earn a spot on Team Canada in 2026.
