“He’s a great player”: Connor Bedard lauds Brock Faber after his Calder Trophy win 

Connor Bedard praised fellow finalist Brock Faber after winning the Calder Trophy. The overall race was relatively close with Bedard scoring 1,808 points to Faber’s 1,464. The close race prompted the Chicago Blackhawks center to express his respect for Faber.

Bedard said regarding Faber (via NHL.com):

"He’s a great player. There are so many great guys in the rookie class that could’ve gotten this."

Bedard’s comments underscore the high level of talent among this year’s newcomers. He also spoke about how much he respects the role Faber played last season for the Minnesota Wild:

“He was, all year, just a rock for them and what he did not only offensively but his all-around game was remarkable. He’s going to be a fun guy to watch for a lot of years,” Bedard added.

Both Connor Bedard and Brock Faber have carved out an important place on their respective teams since arriving in the NHL.

Meanwhile, it may only be a matter of time before Bedard becomes a contender for the Hart Trophy while Faber enters the Norris Trophy conversation. For now, Bedard and Faber have met the expectations that their respective teams placed on their young shoulders.

Connor Bedard is among elite company

Bedard’s Calder Trophy win makes him the 10th Blackhawks player to win the Rookie of the Year award. He joins some elite company among other Blackhawks players to win the award. Most recently, Artemi Panarin took home the Calder in 2016.

Other notable Blackhawks include Patrick Kane in 2008, Ed Belfour in 1991, Steve Larmer in 1983 and Tony Esposito in 1970.

When asked about winning the Calder, Bedard said (via NHL.com):

"It’s a cool honor, for sure. There’s a lot of people who go into it. Obviously, it’s an individual award but it’s cool to celebrate it almost with your teammates and family, just with the help they’ve put toward it. So, it’s a cool moment for sure.”

Bedard was the favorite to win the Calder all year long. Expectations were high for the Chicago center as last year’s No. 1 overall draft pick. Now, it seems Bedard has cemented himself as one of the NHL’s best young stars.

But when asked about awards, Bedard added:

“I’m just playing hockey. It’s not really anything I’ve thought about much.”

Bedard and Co. will look to change things around next season, after finishing at the bottom of the Central Divison with a dismal 23-53 record.