CNN —
Connor Bedard lived up to the lofty expectations surrounding his National Hockey League (NHL) debut on Tuesday, helping the Chicago Blackhawks to a 4-2 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The 18-year-old has been touted as a generational talent and coped well with the pressure as he dazzled inside the PPG Paints Arena, picking up an all-important assist.
“It was a lot of fun,” Bedard told reporters after making his debut.
“I think, for me, it’s just trying to get better every shift, get better every game. I created a bit. There’s obviously things I can get better at, but it felt pretty good.”
The Blackhawks found themselves 2-0 down in the second period, but the visitors eventually clicked into gear to stage a comeback win in front of a packed out arena.
As if by fate, Bedard’s debut saw him face Sidney Crosby – the Penguins star was also considered a generational talent when he broke through into the NHL in 2005.
Bedard went toe-to-toe with Crosby on a number of occasions and never looked out of place, perhaps unsurprisingly given his sensational junior career.
In his final year in the Western Hockey League (WHL) with the Regina Pats, Bedard had finished atop the league in goals (71), points and points per game (2.51), including going on a 35-game point streak (44-46—90).
His 71 goals scored were the most by a player in the WHL in 24 years and 21 more than the second-place player.
As a result, Bedard became the first player in the Canadian Hockey League’s history to sweep Player of the Year, Top Prospect and Top Scorer awards. No player had won all three since the Top Scorer award was introduced in 1994.
Bedard has also impressed on the international stage, cementing himself as a top prospect at the 2023 World Junior Championship, leading all players in goals (9), assists (14) and points (23), while leading Team Canada to a gold medal.
He was named the Most Valuable Player, Best Forward and a Tournament All-Star at the competition.
The transition to the NHL has so far gone seamlessly for the youngster who looks set to be a future star of the sport.
“He’s just all business. That’s the way he’s looked since he’s got here,” Blackhawks head coach Luke Richardson said after Bedard’s debut.
“He just wants to play, and he wants to do well and he wants the team to do well. He’s all in on the team, but he has obviously shown he’s not afraid to use his talents.”
CNN’s Homero De la Fuente contributed reporting.
