OverDrive - Bedard on his incredible season start, the Blackhawks' team performance and the desire to play at the Olympics

Episode Date: November 11, 2025

Chicago Blackhawks forward Connor Bedard joined OverDrive to discuss his impressive start to the season, the Blackhawks finding success on the ice, Jeff Blashill's role towards the team, his outlook for the Winter Olympics and his desire to make the team, the performance of the team and more.

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Here's Connor Bedard. Connor, let's begin with that. You can answer for us. Have you ever used a wooden stick in your life? Yeah, I think like road hockey a little bit, but never on the ice. So I'm pretty fortunate for that. I don't know if I'd be here right now with a wooden branch. Well, that's true.

Like, if you ever think of that, oh, like what it would be like if this era had to use? Buddy Curtis Joseph said it to Dregs. He's like, there's some guys that their shots have dramatically improved. they might be out of the league if the one piece didn't come in. And he brought up my name. He used you as an example. Yeah, it's a big difference, man. I thought my shot got way better using the one piece.

Yeah, the one piece is solid, man. It is solid. And you're off to a great start, Connor. I mean, take us through what's working for you. So, obviously, you had a really good, you know, first two years in the league, but your numbers are explosive. We played your goal from the other night where who was in net? We were talking about that.

And the goal? He didn't even flinch. Might have been Gibbs? Was it Gibson in net for that Detroit goal? Yeah. What's going on? so right for you this year? Yeah, I think overall as a group, we're playing really well.

We're playing a competitive brand of hockey, and, you know, I think, you know, kind of found some chemistry with some guys, and, you know, obviously sometimes puck's going in, sometimes it's not. So a little stretch right now where it seems to be fine in the net for us, and then hopefully that continues. But, yeah, I think just, you know, our whole group's, you know, playing good, and we want keep that rolling well there you i'm sure you can see it up on your screen here's the shot we were talking about like that that is a one piece that even with a wooden stick is probably going home that i think

that one's probably getting getting past a goaltender but i mean you've been known you know ever since you showed up in the w hl as a guy who you know pure goal score um first overall pick like all the hype that came with you um and you know the first two years again with the team kind of struggling there were a lot of eyes on you and wait for you to pop like were you always kind of, did you always have belief that you would get to this point? And did you always have belief that your teammates would grow with you and your team would be in a position like they are right now where you felt like you could be pretty competitive

and competitive pretty quickly? Yeah, for sure. I'm always going to have confidence in myself and my game. And, you know, I think if that kind of leaves you, then it becomes tough. So I felt that and I felt our team, And, you know, really at the end of last year, we got a lot younger. And, you know, guys came up and made a big impact right away.

So, I mean, it's so early. So 16 games in, you got to, you know, do it every night. But, you know, so far it's been solid. And we want to just keep growing. Connor, what are your thoughts on being one of the best offensive players in the game? But I know it was talked about last year. And although your team struggled last year, you're the star of the team, just the defensive side of it.

You hear coaches all the time talking. about details and defensive structure and for guys like you and myself it's just kind of in year one out the other year for a lot of the times but just what are your thoughts on that as a team and as being their best player just paying attention to detail and focused on defense as well yeah i think uh you know it is really important um you know when you're kind of growing up and minor hockey junior and stuff uh you can get away with more um you know because it's obviously easier and I think Blash says it all the time and I think it's true is when your top guys are doing it right then it just bleeds through the whole group so you know that's something

that I always you know I've wanted to keep getting better at and you know I feel pretty good about that side of the puck right now but um you know I still think I can improve on that and honestly the better you are defensive more you're going to have the puck so it's about getting putting pucks back and being in the right spot and being able to get the puck on my stick and on other guys on our team stick that can make plays. So that's what we're trying to do and it's been fun.

We're chatting with Connor Bedard. You mentioned Jeff Blaschell. He was your head coach this year. You've had multiple coaches early in your career. Big fan of Blashele. Yeah, and he's obviously doing the right things. You know, it's early in the season like he keeps saying,

but what have you learned about Blaschell that makes you believe that, you know, he can get you guys to where you want to get to? Yeah, he's been awesome. I mean, even in the summer, just, he was always reaching out to all of us and calling us. And I think he had dinner with a good majority of us. I think even myself and I was in Vancouver, he was in Tampa. So, you know, it's a bit of a hype.

But just like little stuff like that, really easy to talk to. You know what he wants out of you. And he's been a great voice for us. And, you know, he's hard on us, but in a good way, and we all appreciate that. And in the end, he's a good guy. and I think he's taught us a lot and we're happy to have him and keep kind of getting better under him.

Conor, I watch you play. It feels like you're able to create a little bit more space or keep more space between you and defenders so you're able to get your shot off more. Is there something you focus on in the offseason or be watched video to kind of find that just to be out of the range of those D-Men? Yeah, I think I try to kind of gain an extra step

in the off-season. You know, we had a long off-season. off season, which you don't want, but you can try to use that to your advantage a little bit. And I feel like, you know, I was able to do that. And also, I think for me, a big thing this year is just try to gain more of a level of consistency, figure out kind of routine and recovery and everything that works for you because, I mean, you're playing so much. We're just on a two-week trip where we play every other day, and you've got to try to, you know,

maintain what you are and how you're playing. So that's going to be something, you know, hopefully I can. do for the rest of the year and just just be as consistent as I can be. We're chatting with Connor Bedard. So again, you're off to a great start through 16 games, nine goals, 25 points. You know, you're chasing down in Art Ross. It's still November, but you're right there. If the playoffs started tonight, your team would be in it.

And it's an Olympic year. And obviously, I know Doug Armstrong was in town. The last couple of days, all the GMs and coaches were in town for the Hall of Fame, and they had a big meeting yesterday. And you're right there. Your name's coming up a lot. We're talking about it almost daily. here on TSN.

If Doug Armstrong, the GM of the team called you and asked you why you believe you should be on the Olympic team, how would you answer that? Well, first off, I'm happy I'm in the States where I don't have to hear you guys talking about all the time. Yeah, I think if he called me and asked, I mean, that's not something that really, I don't know if that really happens. But for me, I just think, you know, I'm someone that can create offense, you know, really, you know, when I touched the puck. And obviously, you say that, but there's so many guys in Canada that can do that.

And, you know, but I think I'm, you know, someone that would kind of do anything to be on that team. And if obviously I'm fortunate enough to be there, like I said, there's so many great players that could be there. But, you know, I just kind of kind of give everything to it. And, you know, hopefully I get that on. honor. But it's something I'm not really thinking about right now, just trying to focus on what we're doing here and trying to help my team win and be the best player I can be. And obviously, that gives me a shot in the end. Yeah, absolutely. I mean, there are so many good players up here. Like, obviously, you're aware of that. But just having your name in there and some of the youth,

like, you know, again, we're up here and we're obsessed with it. We're talking hockey all the time and we're talking about the Olympic team and, you know, your name comes up and Macklin Celebrini's name comes up and Matthew Schaefer and when you consider kind of the guys who are leading away right now like Connor you know McDavid like McKinnon like do you feel like that's kind of like the bar that has been set like for young Canadian stars like it's always about chasing down the next guy like McDavid chased down Sid and Sid chased down Lemieux and the Mew and the Mew chased down Gretzky et cetera et cetera do you see it that way or is that kind of put too much pressure on you if you look at it through that lens?

I don't know if I would say I see it that way but I think those guys right now obviously McDavid, McKinnon, Crosby, Marchand, all these guys that have been doing it and like you say, kind of setting that standard of greatness

and obviously you're not going to compare yourself to them but you see what those guys are able to do and the impact they have on their teams and on the game and it motivates you a little bit, I think, pushes you even more But, you know, we're all self-motivated and want to be the best we can be.

But in the end, those guys are the epitome, and you want to get to somewhere similar for sure. You watch those guys play McDavid-Crosby. What's, like, one thing you take away from their nightly performances that they just seem to bring every night? Is it, like, their intensity, consistency, just the flare for the dramatic? What's one thing you pick up from those guys? I think those two McKinnon as well I mean you can you guys know how talented they are

the way they impact the game but I just think kind of like the quiet confidence about them like you know they know they're the best and even you see McDavid last night going to the third a game his team has to win and he steps out there and kind of you know he would never say it but in his head I'm sure he was like, okay, I'm going to get us to win and have an impact in that way,

and they just know what they're capable of and have so much confidence and belief. And in the biggest moments, they all seem to, you know, rise up. And I think that that's pretty cool because they're not, you know, telling everyone how good they are talking about it, saying in the media, but you can tell when they're on the ice, you see it every night. So I think that's a cool thing. Everyone's different, but how much hockey do you actually watch, given your schedule? I try to watch a decent amount.

I think, honestly, some nights, I'm like, I don't want to watch hockey right now. You know, I was just, we had 30 minutes of video and practice and stuff. I might throw a movie on or something, but, you know, a good amount of days I'm watching hockey. And just, you know, mainly as a fan, I love the game. and, you know, it's so fun to watch. You guys talked about it, how many guys we have in the league that, you know, you can see something every shift where it's like, you know, if that's unreal or even, you know, I can maybe add that to my game a little bit.

But just more so as a fan, I just enjoy watching. And most nights, I'd say I'll throw a game on there, or, you know, watch them guys. With Connor Bedard. And, you know, there was about a decade there, maybe more, where Chicago was the epicenter of the league with Taves and Cain and Keith and, you Dunk and Keith went into the Hall of Fame last night, and they won the three cups. And I remember going down to Chicago and going to a Cubs game in the summer and talking to a guy, an usher there, and said the number one ticket in town was the Blackhawks.

That's Cubs, Bears, White Sox, you know, everyone else included. It was the Blackhawks. And obviously, in order for them to draft you, we know what happened. They bottomed out. It was an ugly couple of years. But you guys are starting to cook again. Are you feeling like you getting the full Chicago experience? Like, oh, Struddy, you guys always talk.

about best anthem in the league in Chicago, how cool it is, and it's a great building, it's a great sports town. Like, how was the last month and a half felt being a Chicago sports, you know, athlete compared to maybe the first couple of years? Yeah, it's been a blast. Like, every day going to the rink, I'm so excited. We got such a great group. And, you know, we haven't, I mean, obviously, we're on the road for a bit, but when we play at home, it's, you know, it's electric. And I think the fans, are really really getting behind us right now um you know we're a fun team to watch um you know we play the game you know i think an exciting way and we have a lot of speed and pace and and we're

really competitive and i think you know people here appreciate that and um but i mean you know it's it's unreal like this is maybe the best city in the league as well and um you know the sports like you mentioned how how people get behind us and uh we're so lucky to be able to play here and live here and you know it's it's a blast well it's been a great start for you individually and for your team and uh we're we're watching you every night it's been a lot of fun to watch and we wish you nothing but success and uh we'll catch you when you roll through town and we really appreciate you doing this yeah appreciate it guys thanks have a good one you got it there's connor bedard the chicago blackhawks i'm luke wilson join me each week for film

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