How Blackhawks rookie star Connor Bedard is drawing more penalties

Blackhawks rookie star Connor Bedard loves operating in the middle of the ice, where he often draws penalties.

Since Bedard returned from his fractured jaw on Feb. 15, he has drawn 10 penalties, four more than any Hawk and tied for 11th in the NHL.

For the season, he has forced 21, one more than second-place Ryan Donato on the Hawks.

“He likes to attack the middle, and anytime you do that, you’re going to put guys on edge,” forward Nick Foligno said.

“He’s not afraid; he’s fearless. Teams don’t like it, and instead of getting embarrassed by him, they’re going to want to take him down or get a penalty to avoid something like that.”

Bedard’s approach gives the Hawks more opportunities on the power play. They couldn’t convert on their lone power play after he drew a holding penalty in the third period of the 2-1 loss to the Islanders on Tuesday, but those chances help the Hawks, who are trying to play spoiler as they finish off the regular season.
When Bedard makes defenses react to him, it forces them to come out of their comfort zone.

“It sounds pretty simple, but I think that’s when I’m playing my best, [when I’m] attacking the game,” Bedard said.

“It makes it a little harder on guys. If I’m always moving and trying to get into spaces, maybe it makes it a little tougher on guys, and sometimes you can draw some [penalties].”

The NHL is a fast-paced league, so slowing down and trying to find the best play can be a detriment sometimes. Coach Luke Richardson said that going with your first instinct is sometimes right at this point of the season.

Richardson said he has seen Bedard working harder to get the puck back.

“When the puck goes away from him in the O-zone, I’m noticing he’s way better at reloading back on top,” Richardson said. “It allows the other guys to pressure. [Once] we’ve turned pucks over, then it usually comes back to the guy who’s high, coming down the middle or in the shot position. Now that he’s working and getting into those spots, the puck is coming to him more, and that’s what we want.”

Richardson added that Bedard can force penalties because of his slipperiness and hockey IQ.

“He’s not putting himself in harm’s way; he’s just attacking through the cracks where he knows someone has to put an arm on him nowadays,” Richardson said.

“They have to reach in, and that’s great because he knows he gets the benefit from that.”

The Hawks want Bedard to have the puck in the middle of the ice, creating chances for himself or others. He leads the team with 213 scoring chances, according to Natural Stat Trick. No other Hawk has more than 144, so the disparity is enormous.

“He’s always looking for ways to get better, and you see that out there,” Foligno said. “He tinkers with ways he’s going to shoot the puck, and that’s what great players do.

‘‘They try to figure out ways to generate more offense if they’re not feeling like they’re getting it themselves.”

Note: The Hawks signed Nick Lardis to a three-year, entry-level contract that runs through the 2026-27 season. Lardis, a 2023 third-round pick, has 50 points in 37 games this season with the OHL’s Brantford Bulldogs and recently returned from a wrist injury.

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