Right now, the Chicago Blackhawks are in rough waters, sinking to the bottom of the Central Division with a brutal three-game losing streak. Recent heartbreak? A 4-3 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on February 6, despite having a firepower-packed roster. And, of course, when things go south, all eyes land on Connor Bedard. The 2023 No. 1 overall pick and 2024 Rookie of the Year has been catching heat for not magically turning things around. During the second intermission, TNT’s analyst squad wasn’t holding back. “I think his game has to evolve,” Anson Carter pointed out, while Paul Bissonnette added, “Sometimes I see him continue to try things that aren’t gonna work at the NHL level.”
But Connor? Unbothered. He wrote, “I’m not watching broadcasts or anything. I’m playing hockey. Their job is to say what they see. I couldn’t really care less what people on the outside think of me.” Even after being called out for playing “pond hockey,” Bedard stood his ground, adding, “I’m not going to be butthurt if someone says I made a bad play. It’s their job.” And just like that, he shut down the critics and got back to doing what he does best—hitting the ice. Now, an NHL insider is putting national broadcasters on blast for their ridiculous Connor Bedard criticism amid the backlash.
In a video shared by Blackhawks on CHSN, the host asked hockey insider Frank Seravalli for his take on the ongoing national frenzy surrounding Connor Bedard. And Seravalli? He didn’t hold back. “I think the biggest thing that strikes me is that it’s odd,” he said, pointing out how it almost feels like a bandwagon attack from national media. He listed names—Jeremy Roenick, Mark Messier, Paul Bissonnette, even Colby Armstrong in Canada—all taking shots at a 19-year-old phenom who never even asked for the “generational” label that’s been slapped on him.
“I think the biggest thing that strikes me is that it’s odd.”@frank_seravalli didn’t mince his words when discussing the recent criticisms of Connor Bedard. #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/k53AtTE26b
— Blackhawks on CHSN (@CHSN_Blackhawks) February 8, 2025
Seravalli wasn’t buying the narrative that Bedard’s effort was lacking, especially when the infamous clip showed him circling motionless teammates. “I don’t see an issue in effort, compete,” he stated, making it clear that Bedard’s fire wasn’t the problem. Instead, he warned that Chicago’s real issue was finding proper support for their young star. After all, the Blackhawks have scored fewer goals than almost every other team this season—and their only lifeline? Bedard’s stick.
He doubled down on the fact that stifling Bedard’s creativity would be a disaster for Chicago’s offense. “If you take that out of his game and the creativity, good luck to the rest of the team because it’s not there,” he remarked, basically calling out anyone trying to dim Bedard’s shine. And for those wondering why the criticism feels extra loud? Seravalli had a question of his own—why weren’t guys like Auston Matthews, even with his playoff struggles, ever put under this much scrutiny?
This story is developing…
The post NHL Insider Calls Out National Broadcasters for Absurd Connor Bedard Criticism Amid Backlash: “It’s Odd” appeared first on EssentiallySports.
