The Chicago Blackhawks are one of the worst teams in the NHL right now. They will be right there for the best odds of winning the draft lottery when it takes place in the spring.
However, they have one player on their team that makes them worth watching every single night. That player is Connor Bedard who they took first overall in the 2023 NHL Draft.
Bedard can't win them games single-handedly with any regularity but now and again he has what it takes to win them one by himself. That happened on Wednesday night.
The Blackhawks defeated the Winnipeg Jets 2-1 in overtime. Connor Bedard scored the opening goal for the Hawks and the overtime game-winner.
The Chicago Blackhawks have a legit superstar in Connor Bedard.
His first goal was a beauty. He shot the puck through his legs and then buried his rebound. His overtime winner was as pretty of a play as you'll see. He weaved through the ice and sniped a sweet goal using his incredible toe-drag shot.
This was Bedard's first overtime winner of his career. He is the third youngest player to ever score an overtime winner. Only Sidney Crosby and Jordan Staal were younger when they scored their first.
Oddly enough, despite those being Bedard's 14th and 15th goals of the season, he never had a goal later than the start of the third period so that is off his checklist as well.
The Winnipeg Jets are one of the best teams in the Western Conference. This was a very impressive game for both the Hawks and Bedard.
They have an elite goalie in Connor Hellebuyck and Bedard made these types of moves against him. In front of Hellebuyck are amazing skaters who believe they can go deep in the playoffs. Seeing Bedard and the team do what they did against them should make Blackhawks fans proud.
The Blackhawks are very fortunate to have Connor Bedard. There isn't much around him yet but he is as good as any centerpiece in the league right now. A very good team could (should) be built around him in short order. He is only going to get better which is scary to think about.