Connor Bedard Is Just Showing Off At This Point
Growing up, everybody had that group of older kids they looked up to in their hometown. You thought they were the coolest guys on the planet, and wanted to be just like them one day. Every so often, your paths would cross and you'd be in the same vicinity of them. So you'd puff your chest out and try to prove yourself a little. You could call it showing off, you could call it whatever you want. But for the most part as little kids, we probably all looked like little shit heads.
Then you have Connor Bedard.
It's his first game against McDavid in the "Connor Bowl". A generational talent drafted 1st overall in 2015 going up against a generational talent drafted 1st overall in 2023. McDavid already has 3 Hart Trophies, 5 Art Ross Trophies, and one Rocket Richard Trophy to his name. He's the best hockey player on the planet, and he's that older kid that Bedard wants to be like one day. And the first chance he got to show off in front of him?
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It's just flat out silly. Granted, anybody can score against the Edmonton Oilers. It's not like they're known for exceptional goaltending or anything. But how anyone can get that much velocity and that much accuracy on a shot from this position is insanity. Let alone an 18-year-old kid playing his first season in the NHL.
You get a chance to show off in front of the best hockey player on the planet, and you go ahead and do something filthy like that. Not bad. Not bad at all.
By the way--obviously McDavid would get the last laugh here. 2 primary assists on the night in a 4-1 win.
But still the type of night that probably earned a little head nod of approval from McDavid to Bedard.