No one can say for sure what Connor Bedard will become, what heights he and the Chicago Blackhawks might reach one day.
But if legends are built on moments, Bedard’s first goal at the United Center will be a talker in sports bars for years to come.
Bedard made his regular season debut at the Madhouse on Madison and gave fans something to rave about 1 minute, 30 seconds into Saturday’s game against the Vegas Golden Knights, scoring from the high slot on a power play.
He punched the glass and hugged teammates.
“It’s always nice to score,” Bedard said. “Whether it was the first career goal or first goal here, it’s always nice to get that, and it feels good to get it quick.”
Reese Johnson added: “That’s a pretty special moment, his first game here at the United Center. Everyone was stoked.”
In Hawks history, only Eddie Olcyzk was younger when he scored in the team’s home opener, back in 1984 at Chicago Stadium.
Bedard’s moment was perfectly suited for the occasion.
Shortly before puck drop, the video board displayed a tribute to late Hawks Chairman Rocky Wirtz, who died in July. Yellow flowers lay in the folding chair where Wirtz would watch the game.
Bedard provided the first fireworks, and the Hawks also got goals from Johnson and Corey Perry (with 15 seconds left).
However, the night didn’t follow a fairytale ending. The Hawks kept up with the defending champions for two periods but were overwhelmed in the third period of a 5-3 loss.
But years from now, when Hawks fans talk about the night, how much will the score matter?
Bedard probably will remember all of it, good and bad.
“You can remember it, for sure, when you’re looking back on it,” he said. “But obviously now, you’re focused on what we can do better to win.
“But as a moment in your life, looking back you’ll remember it.”
Here are six takeaways from Saturday’s game.
1. How do you forget Connor Bedard?
The Golden Knights appeared to do just that on his power-play goal, letting him drift by his lonesome in the high slot.
Taylor Hall found the puck out of a scrum and then found Bedard, who ripped it past Adin Hill.
“I was just alone in the slot and shot, tried to hit a spot, and fortunately I did,” Bedard said. “You don’t really get that many opportunities like that, so I just tried to make the most of it.”
Was he surprised to be that open?
“Game’s so fast, you’re not thinking about it like that,” he said. “It’s rare to get that but just how the play worked out with the battle down low.”
Hawks coach Luke Richardson pointed out it’s typical of a penalty kill: When there’s a battle, go aggressively after the puck.
“They’re all pressing on a loose puck, we got it and had a good, hard stick there and Taylor made a great pass,” he said.
2. Bedard’s mark on history, by the numbers.
First shot in his first home game in the first 90 seconds: goal.
At 18 years, 96 days, Bedard became the second-youngest player in Hawks history to score in the home opener. The youngest was Olczyk, who was 18 years, 56 days on Oct. 11, 1984, when the Hawks beat the Detroit Red Wings 7-3 at Chicago Stadium.
Only two other Hawks did it as teens: Stan Mikita (19 years, 140 days on Oct. 7, 1959, versus the New York Rangers) and John Harms (19 years, 187 days on Oct. 29, 1944, against the Toronto Maple Leafs).
According to NHL Stats, Bedard’s goal at the 1:30 mark was the fastest by a teenager in a home opener in NHL history, beating Mark Hunter’s 2:09 on Oct. 8, 1981, for the Montreal Canadiens against the Hartford Whalers.
It also was the fastest home-opener goal by a Hawk of any age since Andrew Shaw scored 59 seconds into a game against the Buffalo Sabres on Oct. 11, 2014.
Bedard is in elite company among No. 1 draft picks who scored in their first home game.
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Connor Bedard, Oct. 21, 2023
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Nail Yakupov, Jan. 22, 2013
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Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Oct. 9, 2011
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John Tavares, Oct. 3, 2009
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Sidney Crosby, Oct. 8, 2005
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Alex Ovechkin (two goals), Oct. 5, 2005
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Rick Nash, Oct. 10, 2002
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Eric Lindros, Oct. 9, 1992
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Mike Modano, Oct. 5, 1989
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Mel Bridgman, Oct. 9, 1975
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Billy Harris, Oct. 7, 1972
3. The fanfare wasn’t just for the fans.
It was the first home game for Bedard and defenseman Kevin Korchinski, and it was a lot to take in.
All of the Hawks walked the red carpet on Madison, surrounded by fans. Bedard got the loudest ovation during player introductions.
The pregame video presentation surprised fans with a CM Punk cameo and struck a somber note with Wirtz’s tribute.
But when it got down to simple hockey, the building exploded when Bedard scored.
“It was electric in there,” he said. “It was cool for me and all the guys there. You get energy from that. For us to get one early and get them up like that was great.”
It exceeded his expectations.
“I’ve heard so many great things and obviously saw it in preseason,” he said. “Even when I got drafted, we had a pretty electric crowd there — it was awesome. Just to finally get that real game and to see how energetic they are, how much they love us, it’s awesome and we couldn’t say more how much we appreciate it.”
4. Nicolas Roy’s third-period goal was a killer.
It came 13 seconds into the period and you could hear the air go out of the building.
Brayden McNabb stretched a pass to Keegan Kolesar after he blew by Bedard, then Kolesar caught Korchinski in a two-on-one with Roy.
Bedard dived trying to get a stick on Kolesar’s pass, but Kolesar connected with Roy for a backdoor goal against Arvid Söderblom to put the Knights up 3-2.
“That third goal was definitely my fault,” Bedard said. “Can’t start a period like that. … We had our looks and it was a pretty even game overall, but it’s inches like that and I’ve got to take responsibility for that.”
Connor Murphy added: “Anytime you get breakdowns against a solid team that knows how to be calculated and look for opportunities that we seem to give them. Not just that play but there’s other plays.”
5. Taylor Raddysh replaced Ryan Donato on the top line.
The lines probably will shuffle again with Philipp Kurashev expected back soon — possibly as soon as practice Monday — but Donato’s move from the top line with Bedard and Hall to the fourth line with Johnson and Boris Katchouk is fairly significant.
“He’s still a crucial guy that we need to get some shots off on the power play when he’s out there,” Richardson said before the game. “Right now, it’s just battling for spots. … That’s just where the guys fell and where we see it.”
Richardson also liked the idea of bringing Donato’s faceoff skills to the fourth line.
Raddysh told the Tribune that coaches probably like his size and the fact he has improved on defense, something they worked together to improve since last season.
“I’ve just got to keep creating chances offensively but be on both ends of the puck,” he said.
Bedard, who lives in the same apartment building as Raddysh, said: “He’s a really good player, he’s got a really good shot and someone that thinks the game well.”
As someone who played all over the lineup last season, Jason Dickinson can relate to Donato’s situation.
“It sure can (mess with your head),” Dickinson said. “I’ve learned after many years of being the guy that moved up and down the lineup that you have to play your game and let everything else be what it is because you can’t control everything. In fact, you can barely control anything.
“The only thing that I know for certain I can control is my work ethic. … I’m going to give it everything on whatever line I’m on to make that shift — that five to 15 minutes, whatever it is that night — miserable for whoever I’m playing against.”
6. You can’t spell ‘winning’ without ‘The W’?
Before the game, Bedard boasted about one thing he has in common with seven members of the Golden Knights: the Western Hockey League.
Kolesar, Hill, Mark Stone, Brayden McNabb, Shea Theodore, Chandler Stephenson and Brett Howden are WHL alumni, as is Bedard, who played for the Regina Pats.
“We probably talk about the Western every day in here, argue what league’s better,” Bedard said. “Vegas, how many ‘Dub’ guys? There’s a lot of ‘Dub’ guys. That’s why they won.”
Hate to break it to him, but the Western doesn’t lead the NHL in Canadian Hockey League (which also includes the Ontario and Quebec Major Junior leagues) alumni on active rosters.
Here’s the breakdown, according to NHL Stats.
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OHL: 172
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WHL: 107
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QMJHL: 70
