Connor Bedard on dealing with pressure – and what’s ahead for the Chicago Blackhawks

Credit: Matt Blewett-Imagn Images

Now in his second year with the Chicago Blackhawks, Connor Bedard is being leaned on heavily to lead the charge as the team looks to get back into the playoff conversation.

They were one of the bottom-feeders in 2024-25, but there’s hope that, with Bedard leading the way, they’ll turn things around sooner rather than later.

On an episode of Frankly Speaking with Daily Faceoff insider Frank Seravalli, Bedard talked about adjusting to life in the spotlight in 2023-24, and the high hopes he has for the Blackhawks in the future.

Frank Seravalli: “You’re a pretty reserved guy. Did anything about the first-year experience with all those eyeballs – did any of that overwhelm you at all?

Connor Bedard: “No, it’s kind of a slow progression. But I think I’m not a guy that loves being in front of the camera or anything. I think there’s guys that, you know, really thrive with being off the ice, showing their personality or whatever. But I’m pretty boring in front of a camera. So that’s a different thing for me. You know, not something that I love. But it’s part of it, and you got to learn to just deal with it, and it’s all fine.

Frank Seravalli: “Well, you’re doing fine. This year, how different does it feel? A lot more support, more vets, more players – just the vibe around the team to start this year?

Connor Bedard: “It feels good. We want to win. I think last year was really disappointing for us. We all went into the summer with a lot of motivation. We brought in a lot of guys that have done really well individually, but have also won. I think we brought in three or four guys that have won a (Stanley) Cup, or multiple cups. That’s hard to find. And just with them coming in, they don’t want to be on a losing team. And we’re really driven every day. Our practices have been really high-paced. And in the games, I feel like we’ve played really well so far. Obviously, we’ve got to get more wins, but it definitely feels like we’re going in the right direction.

You can watch the full episode below: