Fun hockey notes about tonight's opening night game for Blackhawks v. Penguins

[seafoam1 2,805]

Rookie Bedard facing off against his hockey hero Sidney Crosby in their opening game of the season.

I'm just waiting now for the opening game to come on at 8pm EST on ESPN. Warming up with the Lightening v. Predators.

Tonight the most anticipated rookie prospect since Connor McDavid, Connor Bedard will face off in an opening night NHL game, against Sidney Crosby, another #1 overall pick but back in 2005. Bedard wasn't born yet when Crosby was drafted in 2005. He was born in 2005, July. Bedard is 18, same as Crosby when he was drafted and now Crosby is 36. What a trip. Bedard has been followed by experts and media since he was in his single digits age wise. He was scoring against professional goalies at the age of 12 and his stock has been only going up from there. That's gotta be a real trip for the kid to take the ice in his first professional game facing off on the #1 line against one of his hockey heroes in Sidney Crosby. That will be his very first action in the league. 

Talk about dreams coming true in such a surreal manner. Bedard is a serious level headed dude. In all the interviews after the draft he has been sharp and just kept telling media that his focus is just to "make the team". That's his first goal in the league. Well, he made the team. I'm sure Crosby can get the better of Bedard tonight but he and other stars around the league have been in awe of this kid Bedard. Their only advice was for him to just get used to the league and enjoy all that is going on around him. Other first overall picks said they were so overly focused that they forgot to enjoy their time and didn't really take it all in. They all said Bedard has an unbelievable shot, possibly the best in the world even at his young age, but it will just take him time to get used to things. 

The Hawks brought on in the offseason a 33 year old ex #1 pick in Tyler Johnson to watch over Bedard and a 35 year old veteran enforcer in Nick Foligno that has proven to have zero problem with going toe to toe with anyone in the league. He's well hated by many team's fans. Including the Blackhawks' fans prior to their signing him. 

Hawks will have other rookies on the ice this year and they have one of the better farm systems in all of hockey. They will lose a lot of games this year but this year is about getting experience and growth in their young players and figuring out who will be future linemates with who. 

Loving this. 

 

 

[Hawkeye21 2,382]

That was a hell of a come back win last night.  I enjoyed watching the 3rd period.

[patweisers44 815]

I am getting old. Current players grew up idolizing whiny poosays like Sindey

[seafoam1 2,805]

9 hours ago, Hawkeye21 said:

That was a hell of a come back win last night.  I enjoyed watching the 3rd period.

I actually put money on the Blackhawks even thinking they would lose the game but just wanted to because it was Bedard's first game. Damn I cleaned up. I had $50 on the Hawks to win at +210, and $75 on the Hawks +1.5 at -110. 

Who would have thunk it? They are on again tonight vs. Boston. I'll probably lay off that one. Boston in favored at -320.

[BeachGuy23 642]

Bedard's not even a big fellow like a lot of the good hockey players today.

Of course, he's still basically a kid so tons of time to get bigger.

Always good when a generational talent hits a sport. 

[Stryker Ryker 188]

Was Old Time Hawkey there? I follow the guy on tiktok and he’s such a nice guy & I love his content 

[seafoam1 2,805]

Bedard's first goal in the league. Took a whole 3.5 periods of play to get it.  Assist yesterday, goal today. Keeping the Hawks in it against a team that only lost a total of 12 games last year. 

 

 

[seafoam1 2,805]

9 hours ago, BeachGuy23 said:

Bedard's not even a big fellow like a lot of the good hockey players today.

Of course, he's still basically a kid so tons of time to get bigger.

Always good when a generational talent hits a sport. 

He's actually about 10 pounds heavier than Patrick Kane. Same height at 5' 10"

[seafoam1 2,805]

Hawks hung with the best today but then gave up an open netter in the last minute and went down 3-1. 

[WhiteWonder 2,681]

2 hours ago, seafoam1 said:

He's actually about 10 pounds heavier than Patrick Kane. Same height at 5' 10"

Patrick Kane is old guard now. 

[WhiteWonder 2,681]

i'm not much for hockey.  It's definitely NFL>PGA>MLB>NBA>>>NHL  for me, but I grew up a Devils fan and I get tickets through work. Usually go to 2-3 games a season. Trying to get back into it. 

Should be an exciting season with Jack, Nico and Mercer and now Luke Hughes.  Again, not really into it but Vanecek seems like a solid goalie

[seafoam1 2,805]

18 hours ago, patweisers44 said:

I am getting old. Current players grew up idolizing whiny poosays like Sindey

Being a Blackhawk fan I never really followed Crosby in detail other than knowing the skills the dude has and his accomplishments. 

Personality is personality but appreciating the skill of a player as an up and coming generational talent? Nothing wrong with it. Bedard actually has a bunch of guys in the NHL he's looked up to over his teen years. 

Nothing wrong with this:

Sidney Crosby made his Olympic debut on home ice at Vancouver 2010 where he scored the “Golden Goal” against Team USA in overtime to secure Canada’s record 14^th gold medal of the Games. At Sochi 2014, Crosby served as the team’s captain, leading Canada to back-to-back gold medals.

Crosby’s first time wearing the maple leaf was as a 16-year-old at the 2004 IIHF World Junior Championship where Canada won silver. He would return to the tournament in 2005 and help Canada secure the gold medal. In 2006 he competed at the IIHF World Championship and led the tournament in scoring with eight goals and eight assists and was named Best Forward as Canada finished fourth. He returned to the IIHF World Championship in 2015 to help Canada win gold, making him a member of the Triple Gold Club. He was also a member of the victorious Canadian squad at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey where he led the scoring with three goals and seven assists.

Crosby’s NHL career began with him being drafted first overall in 2005 by the Pittsburgh Penguins, with whom he has played through the 2018-19 season. Crosby was named the Penguins’ captain in 2007, at the time the youngest NHL player to ever hold that title. Crosby’s individual NHL honours include: three Stanley Cups (2009, 2016, 2017), two Conn Smythe Trophies (2016, 2017), three Ted Lindsay Awards (2007, 2013, 2014), two Hart Memorial Trophies (2007, 2014), two Art Ross Trophies (2007, 2014), two Maurice Richard Trophies (2010, 2017), and one Mark Messier Leadership award (2010). Crosby was also the recipient of the Lou Marsh Trophy as Canada’s Athlete of the Year in 2009.

Crosby was inducted to the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame in 2012 with his teammates from the 2010 Olympic hockey team.

[Thornton Melon 607]

11 hours ago, seafoam1 said:

Hawks hung with the best today but then gave up an open netter in the last minute and went down 3-1. 

I don't know if they're the best with Bergy and Krecji gone, and the Bruins always seem to play down to their competition. But, that Bedard kid scared me every time he touched the puck. He's gonna be a great one.

[Hawkeye21 2,382]

Glad to see he got his first goal right away in his career.