Nick Foligno acquisition already having an impact on Connor Bedard

With all the eyes on Connor Bedard’s debut, it was hard to forget who else was on the ice, which included veteran Nick Foligno. A free-agent acquisition that GM Kyle Davidson snatched up to provide the young Blackhawks team with some veteran leadership. Former NHLer Luke Gazdic joined Daily Faceoff Live to discuss Foligno’s impact already on the rookie. 

Tyler Yaremchuk: Let’s get to Luke Gazdic, who worked the triple header last night and let’s start with Bedard’s debut, but you’ve got a neat perspective; you were in the locker room when Connor McDavid came into the NHL with the Edmonton Oilers, and you also had the chance to chat with Nick Foligno on your podcast about the culture they’re trying to set in Chicago. What are your thoughts on how Chicago has taken that approach of surrounding Bedard with good veterans? 

Luke Gazdic: I love that addition of Foligno. I understand they have to insulate him with some of these guys, and you can even tell in his post-game interview that he said something about it being Bedard’s first game, and that only happens one time; you can kind of tell the influence he’s had on him. I remember when Connor came to live with us, and I see them being a little different; Connor was a bit more shy and reserved, and Bedard looked like he had such a good head on his shoulders. With the Foligno addition, the Corey Perry addition, and even having Taylor Hall in there really have helped. Hall has spoken really fondly of him, and he’s played with a lot of No. 1 overall picks. From a straight hockey perspective, Bedard looked good last night.

You can watch the full show here…