The start to Connor Bedard’s second NHL season has not gone according to plan.
Although the reigning Calder Trophy winner leads the Chicago Blackhawks in scoring, those 19 points have not come easy. Bedard recently endured a 12-game goal drought, the longest of his fledgling career, and has been openly frustrated with his play.
“I didn’t care how one went in, to be completely honest,” Bedard told reporters after ending his slump last week. “I would have taken it off the face.”
Fortunately, that was not necessary. But it shows how desperate Bedard was to get going offensively. Bedard’s true shooting percentage, which accounts for all shot attempts, has dropped to 4.1 per cent from 5.7 per cent during his rookie year. Before scoring twice in the past three games, Bedard was shooting 2.9 per cent when including all attempts.
One reason for that is Bedard has been shooting less from the slot. Half of his attempts (50.4 per cent) have come from there, compared to 55.7 per cent last season. When Bedard has fired the puck in the slot, however, he has been much more accurate, hitting the net on 43 of his 61 attempts (70.5 per cent) after doing so on 59.8 per cent of his attempts a season ago.
Simply put: If Bedard can get back to the slot as he has since ending his dry spell, his goal total should increase in a hurry. He has fired 10 of his 16 shot attempts (62.5 per cent) from the slot over the past three games — eight of which have been on net.
What has not changed is Bedard’s speed game. Bedard remains one of the league’s most dynamic skaters, even though some of his numbers in that area have dipped. He is averaging 1.33 rush scoring chances per game — fifth out of 412 forwards who have played at least 100 minutes. His 4.96 offensive-zone carry-ins per game rank 19th.
Blackhawks coach Luke Richardson’s constant line shuffling has been a hot topic in Chicago. Since the start of November, Bedard has played at least 20 minutes with eight different forwards at even strength over 13 games. At one point, Richardson even moved Bedard to the wing on a line with defensive-minded centre Jason Dickinson and Joey Anderson.
“Sometimes, that’s a great challenge that lifts you up and you get two responsibilities out there: trying to stop the other team and not cheating on that to get to the offence,” Richardson told reporters about his decision to play Bedard with Dickinson and Anderson. “Sometimes, good players on the other team get frustrated if you check them well, and then that opens it up for you to make some plays and score some goals.”
That did not pan out. That line was caved in defensively, generating 26.3 per cent of the expected goals at 5-on-5 in 27:48 of ice time. Bedard recorded zero scoring chances alongside Dickinson and Anderson. (They started just 28.1 per cent of their shifts in the offensive zone.)
Over the past three-and-a-half games, Richardson has paired Bedard with Taylor Hall. Together, they have produced modest results; Chicago has scored twice and generated 15 scoring chances with Bedard and Hall on the ice at 5-on-5.
Bedard, who at 19 is the league’s second-youngest everyday player, is on pace for a solid 65 points. But after playing at a 74-point pace in his debut season, the teenage phenom expects more of himself.
Richardson, though, has seen signs of an impending breakout.
“(Based on) him shooting the puck and making plays, moving his feet, I think he's feeling much better about himself, and he looks much better out there,” Richardson told reporters over the weekend. “More comfortable and more happy.”
All stats via Sportlogiq
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