"He doesn't want to be in 32nd place": Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson speaks out on Connor Bedard's future in Chicago   

Kyle Davidson has his work cut out for him as he attempts to turn around the Chicago Blackhawks. In his third full season as Blackhawks general manager, there have been no improvements in the on-ice results. This comes despite landing the highly-touted Connor Bedard with the first overall draft pick in 2023.

In Bedard's rookie campaign, the Hawks were 23-53-6, and Year 2 has not gone any better with a 13-25-2 record to date. It's fair to wonder how Bedard is handling losing so many games.

Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet shared what Kyle Davidson had to say about Bedard's thoughts on the state of the team in his "32 Thoughts" written article.

He was asked if Bedard was comfortable with the overall vision for the team.

“Yes, yes. That’s the most important thing. I don't want to be in 32nd place,” the GM said. “He doesn't want to be in 32nd place, no one does. Understanding what else is happening in the organization, what we're thinking moving forward. All of that is very important for him to understand to some extent. ...

"There's a good dialogue there, understanding what's coming and also understanding that you can't always just wait for the wave to come, right?"

He added:

"You have to be proactive at some point and be interested and hungry to push. We're always open and seeing what's available and what could be done in terms of trying to push things forward in a different way."

Timestamp: Written thought #3

It's far too early for speculation about Bedard's future in Chicago. Kyle Davidson and the Blackhawks, though, need to start turning the corner in their rebuild before the 19-year-old becomes too disgruntled.

Kyle Davidson needs to provide Connor Bedard with more help

Just because Kyle Davidson landed the golden goose doesn't mean the Blackhawks' rebuild is over. That's been abundantly clear as Chicago sits at the bottom of the NHL in Year 2 with star Connor Bedard.

Connor Bedard leads the Blackhawks in scoring with 35 points (10 goals, 25 assists) in 40 games. The next best is Teuvo Teravainen with 25 points (seven goals, 18 assists) in 40 games.

While Davidson attempted to help out the face of the franchise this offseason, it was not enough. The Hawks GM added veterans Tyler Bertuzzi, Teuvo Teravainen, Ilya Mikheyev, Pat Maroon, TJ Brodie, Alec Martinez and Craig Smith. These players all provide some value, but Bedard needs to be surrounded by more talent.

It's time for Kyle Davidson to make a big splash in the 2025 NHL offseason. Bedard and the Blackhawks host the Colorado Avalanche Wednesday night at United Center. The puck drops at 7:30 p.m. EST.