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Connor Bedard's first NHL preseason goal has certainly ignited a flurry of reactions among NHL fans, and it seems that opinions are quite divided.
The Chicago Blackhawks, in particular, couldn't resist sharing the moment on their Twitter account with a post captioned,
"BEDARD EMPTY NETTER."
However, this move has opened the floodgates to a range of reactions from fans across the hockey community.
One fan took a somewhat skeptical stance, commenting,
"Had to remove the goalie for the kid to be able to put it in the net lol. Honestly don't get what people see in him, compared to Toews, Kane, DeBrincat, etc. at the start of their careers, he's not that great."
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On the other end of the spectrum, there were fans who were overwhelmed with joy at witnessing Connor Bedard's milestone. One fan candidly admitted,
"I cried the happy tears."
Another fan simply exclaimed,
"Bro is mad."
Some fans, however, expressed concerns about the potential overhyping of the young player. One fan observed,
"Man all we talk about is a preseason empty net goal.... Long season of this just like when Tiger stepped on the scene everything else is put on the back burner. McDavid can have 90 goals, and they will still show this kid's empty net preseason goal."
Connor Bedard's remarkable hockey journey to the NHL
Connor Bedard is widely regarded as one of the most promising ice hockey talents of his generation. Bedard was selected as the first overall pick by the Blackhawks in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft.
His journey to professional hockey began when he was chosen as the first overall pick in the WHL Bantam Draft by the Regina Pats of the Western Hockey League (WHL) in 2020. Bedard immediately made a significant impact, earning the Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy(2021) as the WHL's top rookie player during his debut season.
In his third year in the WHL, Bedard's exceptional skills and scoring prowess saw him clinch the Bob Clarke Trophy(2023) as the league's leading scorer. Additionally, he received the Four Broncos Memorial Trophy(2023), recognizing him as the league's most valuable player.
His outstanding performance also earned him accolades in the Canadian Hockey League, where he was named both the Top Scorer and Player of the Year.
Connor Bedard has been a key asset to Team Canada on the international stage, winning championships with the Canadian national under-18 team in 2021 and with the Canadian national junior team in consecutive years, 2022 and 2023. Moreover, his exceptional performance in the 2023 international tournament set numerous national and international records.
