The Chicago Blackhawks have a very long way to go in order to become relevant again, but with franchise forward Connor Bedard, there is hope. The Blackhawks are off to a rough start this season, having only taken five points from their first five games, a tally that sees them sitting sixth in the eight team Central Division.
Although Connor Bedard only has one goal thus far, he does have six assists (giving him seven points) and a +3 on the young season.
The recently retired Artem Anisimov was traded to Chicago in 2015, where he was part of a Stanley Cup winning side. The ’15 Cup, combined with the other two (2010, 2013) made the Hawks the team of the 2010s. Can the glory days come back? Anisimov was asked, in an exclusive with RG, if Bedard can someday become better than Patrick Kane and/or Jonathan Toews.
“Everything is possible,” Anisimov responded. “Why not? A very talented and hard-working guy who plays hockey very well. He has a bright future.”
Anisimov, who currently lives in Chicago, went on to describe what he loves about his hometown:
“It’s a big city that has everything. There are a lot of concerts and all kinds of sports: two baseball teams, one football team, a basketball team, a soccer team, and two hockey teams.
“We live in Lincoln Park. It’s a family-friendly area, with the school within walking distance and the lake, the zoo, the park, and restaurants all nearby.
“It’s a very comfortable place. Also, Chicago is a very international, multicultural city. It is very cool. Our kids’ school holds an international festival every other year, where each room represents one of the countries one of the students is from. Last time, 30+ countries were represented, including countries from Europe, Africa, South America, and Asia.”
Later in the interview, Anisimov reflected on playing with Patrick Kane (or as Hawks fan call him on Twitter, “KANER!”) and Artemi Panarin (“BREAD MAN!”), so be sure to check that out. But getting back to Kane and Toews, Bedard has a long way to go to catch up to both of them.
Kane was the winner of the Conn Smythe Trophy, as the MVP of the 2013 NHL postseason.
Kaner (who currently plays for the arch-rival Detroit Red Wings) also did the individual award treble in 2016, by winning the Art Ross (scoring champion), Hart Memorial (MVP) and Ted Lindsay (regular season most outstanding player) award.
The 2007 #1 overall pick also won the Calder Trophy (rookie of the year) in 2008, while making eight All-Star appearances over the course of his storied career. Can the 19 year old center from North Vancouver someday reach, or even surpass Kaner?
Well, who knows, but like Artetm Anisimov, we believe in Connor Bedard.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network and RG.org. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Washington Post and ESPN. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter.