Connor Bedard to represent Blackhawks at NHL All-Star Game in Toronto

In the least surprising NHL news of the new year so far, rookie sensation Connor Bedard will represent the Blackhawks at the 2024 All-Star Game in Toronto, the league announced Thursday.

If Bedard ends up playing, he’ll be the youngest All-Star Game participant in history and the first rookie All-Star participant since Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes in 2020. Kraken forward Matty Beniers was selected last year but missed the game because of an injury. Bedard also would be the Hawks’ first rookie All-Star since Tony Esposito in 1970.

Thirty-two All-Stars were announced, one from every team, but 12 more will be chosen through fan voting — although there’s essentially zero chance any of Bedard’s Hawks teammates will be in the mix.

The format has been reimagined for this year’s festivities Feb. 1-3 at Scotiabank Arena. Thursday will feature a fantasy draft to divide the 44 All-Stars into four teams (instead of by division). Friday will feature a tightened skills competition in which 12 players compete for a $1 million prize. And Sunday will feature three games of three-on-three hockey.

After the Hawks sent defenseman Seth Jones last winter — simply because every team is required to have a representative — Bedard likely will attract a lot more attention this time around. He’ll rub shoulders with the Oilers’ Connor McDavid, the Maple Leafs’ Auston Matthews, the Avalanche’s Nathan MacKinnon, the Penguins’ Sidney Crosby, the Bruins’ David Pastrnak and the Lightning’s Nikita Kucherov, who were among the biggest names announced Thursday.

The Hawks didn’t make Bedard available to talk about his selection after a 4-1 loss to the Rangers on Thursday night, but coach Luke Richardson did mention the honor.

“I’m sure that’s a very exciting time for him and his family,” Richardson said. “He has had a really good start.

“There’s still lots of things for an 18-year-old to learn in this league, but one of them is how to handle the highs and the lows. Right now, our team is on a low, so all the players individually feel partly responsible and that they could do better. But this is a good perk for [Bedard] to put in his pocket, and hopefully [it] gives a little lift to him and a spark to his game.”

With 33 points in 37 games, Bedard was 48th in the NHL in scoring entering Thursday, but he’s still the leading rookie scorer by a large margin after being named rookie of the month in November and December. Highlight-reel plays such as his lacrosse goal Dec. 23 in St. Louis have only boosted his star status.

Considering how productive he has been despite a meager supporting cast on offense, it would be difficult to argue Bedard doesn’t deserve the All-Star spot. But his first half-season hasn’t been without adversity and learning moments. He has gone four consecutive games without a goal, with just one assist over that stretch, and scoring chances also have been harder to come by since his big performance Dec. 27 against the Jets.

“He’s got that good shot,” Richardson said. “We’ve got to get [him] to use that more. And that’s not being selfish — that’s just being a good team guy and taking what’s given to you in front of you.”