The 2023 NHL Draft is two days away (June 28), and all eyes are on the Chicago Blackhawks, who expected to select Connor Bedard with the first overall pick. His hockey accomplishments have been broadcasted far and wide: breaking multiple Canadian records at the 2023 World Junior Championships, including most points in a single tournament (23), most assists (14), and all-time tournament goals (16). He was the first player to gain exceptional status to enter the WHL as a 15-year-old, he had 143 points in 57 games with the Regina Pats of the WHL (Western Hockey League) this past season, and the list goes on.
But beyond the glitz and glamour of his hockey resume, many are eager to know more about Connor Bedard, the person. So, here are some fun stories about him for a glimpse into who he is off the ice.
The Little Socks That Could
Back in February, there was a George Watson U-11 hockey tournament in Regina that included the Yorkton Terriers. Bedard was with the Pats then and was training in the arena, where the Terriers had just won the tournament. However, Bedard forgot his socks, and his trainer tried to find a pair for him. 11-year-old Terriers player Dillon Serdachny stepped in and gave him his socks, which were a perfect fit. The Serdachnys said Bedard went on to train for two hours on the ice, with Dillon stating that he wanted his socks back. However, his mother, Lisa, told him that potentially getting him to sign his socks would be more than enough to make up for it.
The family said that Bedard apologized for taking so long. He signed Dillon’s socks and told him, “I’d like you to have my stick as well.” Dillon was so ecstatic that he slept next to Bedard’s hockey stick. Of course, they also got a picture with him. Lisa said at the end of the day, it was just “one hockey kid helping out another.” Wholesome content.
Officer, Bedard’s Mom Can Explain
Growing up, he practiced his shot everywhere and broke many things along the way, and one of them got his mother, Melanie, in trouble. His mom got pulled over by the police because one of his shot attempts chipped her license plate. He laughed, “I don’t think I was missing that bad.” He continued, “Maybe I hit a post, ricocheted, and hit the car or something. My mom probably had some valuable things broken by me. But, you know, I hope she doesn’t mind too much.” The interaction between Melanie and the person who pulled her over must have been gold as she explained what happened to her license plate.
98 Is Great
The number 98 is unusual in hockey. Only two players in the NHL currently wear that number: Mikhail Sergachev (Tampa Bay Lightning) and Victor Mete (Toronto Maple Leafs). However, it seems a given that Bedard will wear 98 on his sweater when he makes his NHL debut, and it’s a number he picked out when he was five years old. When he was with the Vancouver Vipers, an AAA program, the team’s manager, Houman Ershadi, asked each kid in the locker room what number they wanted.
Apparently, numbers 87 and 97 were favoured because of Sidney Crosby and Mathew Barzal (who was a top WHL prospect at the time), so there was competition for those numbers, and no one was going to touch Wayne Gretzky’s number 99, so Bedard decided to ask for the closest number, 98. Bedard’s coach Jon Calvano said that the manager (Ershadi) responded by asking the question, “Who is 98?” and Bedard replied, “I’m 98.” Calvano and Ershadi found it great and humorous that a five-year-old was so confident in his number choice (from ‘Connor Bedard: From a young age, he was determined to be a hockey star,’ Toronto Sun, 01/03/2023).
Related: Connor Bedard – 2023 NHL Draft Prospect Profile
When Bedard makes his NHL debut, just like when he was five, there will be no mistaking who number 98 is.
The Funny One
Bedard has a serious persona. Not as intense as Jonathan Toews, but it’s evident that hockey is important to him, and making his NHL dream come true is his priority. He also carries himself maturely for a teenager, with many wondering about his true personality. His Pats teammates Tanner Howe and Alexander Suzdalev commented on the matter. Suzdalev stated, “If you know him, he’s actually a very funny guy. He’ll chirp you on the ice.” Howe agreed. They were asked if they could give examples, and Suzdalev said, “Just trust me. He’s got a lot of good ones.”
The 2021 Team Canada World Juniors team played a game of “call out your teammates,” and the prompt was, “The teammate most likely to start a TikTok account.” Mason McTavish (Anaheim Ducks) said, “I think I’m going to have to go with Bedsy again on that one. When I was in Texas, he’d always be breaking out the TikTok dances.” Bedard giggled and said, “That’s weird. I don’t think I would [start a TikTok account]. No.”
Related: Blackhawks Will Need to Wisely Build Around Connor Bedard
Finally, Bedard’s mom gets the final say on what to know about her son. “I think he is a really good person. He would never cheat to get anything. I don’t even know how I would word that because it’s so hard to talk about my kids without sounding like you’re bragging, but I’m proud of the fact he is honest, a good friend, and compassionate about others.”
Bedard is just your typical 17-year-old at the end of the day. As fans learn more about the exceptional hockey player he is, they will also get to know the exceptional person he is off the ice. For the Blackhawks and their fans, that’s like winning the lottery twice over.