Blackhawks

Alfonz24 said:

In all seriousness, do you really want someone who can also be a tough guy? My point being that if he is checking and being checked, more likelihood of concussions. I guess I think of Eric Lindros.

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Hockey is a tough guy sport in any event, but this article from the Athletic filled in some of the details


It's behind a paywall, but essentially Bedard's style has been to do a lot of leaking out on odd-man rushes which centermen's defensive responsibilities often don't allow them to do. In the WHL you can get away with it.

So it's not solely a question of can he or can't he play center, it's also a question if his game would be more natural and flourish more in a "less valuable" role.

Being a goal-sniping wing hasn't done any harm to Alex Ovechkin has it? And that's the kind of shot Bedard is reputed to have.

ChiefGritty said:

We've got every reason to be extraordinarily excited.

But I think there's a reasonable chance Bedard is more in the "big scoring one-way wing sniper" category and not the "five tool era-defining player" category.

I suppose then again because of the situation the natural comparison is going to be Kane and Toews (he's much more similar to Kane in style) and those are more reasonable targets than, like, Mario Lemieux.

I wonder how hard they're going to work to make him a center, that's kinda my biggest immediate question.

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Bedard is a center until proven otherwise. He's always played center and he's had amazing success. He'll be given every opportunity to play center for the Hawks. Flank him with Domi and Reichel. Sign Reaves (yuck) so guys will think twice or more about taking liberties.

Bedard has very similar size and build as Jack Hughes … who scored 99 points as a 20 year-old center this season. Bedard is a center; you WANT the puck on his stick as much as possible.