Connor Bedard Delivers NHL’s Play Of The Year, Shocking Hockey World

Since the beginning of his career back in October, Blackhawks rookie Connor Bedard has been the overwhelming favorite to win the Calder Trophy, the NHL’s Rookie of the Year award. As the most highly touted prospect to enter the draft since at least Connor McDavid in 2015, the 18-year-old faced huge expectations coming into the league, evidenced by his being selected as the first overall pick after Chicago won this year’s draft lottery.

In the first 33 games of Bedard’s young career, he’s delivered on everything asked of him and more. The rookie continues to astound fans, finding his way onto highlight reels practically weekly. He leads all Blackhawks skaters in every important category - his 29 points pace the team by 12. He’s on the ice for almost 20 minutes per game and is without question the most important player on the young team.

In Saturday night’s matchup against the St. Louis Blues, Bedard delivered the best highlight of his season, and what might be the goal of the year for the NHL. Four minutes into the first period, fellow youngster Philipp Kurashev fed Bedard in the trapezoid. Sitting in veteran goaltender Jordan Binnington’s blind spot behind the net, the rookie Blackhawk scooped up the puck and tucked it in the glove-side corner for a Michigan goal.

Bedard had the NHL world buzzing on social media, including the NHL account itself, which posted the above video.

The goal happened in the Enterprise Center, home of one of the Blackhawks’ biggest division rivals. But that didn’t stop fans on both sides from being completely blown away by the highlight-reel play.

Bedard delivered one of those plays tonight that makes Blackhawks fans even more grateful their team won the opportunity to draft the young superstar. Though he started his career as one of the faces of the league, Bedard continues to improve on a nightly basis. There’s no question Bedard will continue to shock us with highlight-reel plays, hopefully for the next decade or more.