NHL Hall of Famer Chris Chelios makes something clear about Blackhawks star Connor Bedard: ‘He needs help’

A member of Hockey’s Hall of Fame and a three-time Stanley Cup champion, Chris Chelios has a big say on Chicago Blackhawks‘ matters. Now, the retired defenseman dropped a bold confession on Connor Bedard, as the NHL season looms closer.

Bedard will be the first to admit his sophomore NHL campaign was underwhelming. The 20-year-old knows he must learn from his mistakes, but he may not know exactly what to change. Moreover, the Blackhawks‘ responsibility can’t be overlooked. Hockey is a team sport, and Bedard’s production was conditioned by his surroundings.

It’s time for action. The Windy City feels the breezes of change blowing through and can’t help but be encouraged. However, how far the Blackhawks can truly go—and how much they’ve really changed—will be conditioned by Bedard’s evolution. He is the wheels, the engine, and the soul of this franchise. Thus, Chelios believes he needs to be helped out by the organization.

“Bedard is going to need to learn a little bit, and [Jeff Blashill] is the perfect guy [to teach him],” Chelios said, via Chicago Sun-Times. “He needs help, too, and more depth — to free him up from being against the top defensemen and the top line game-in and game-out. He’s a focused kid. [His struggles will] never be from lack of effort. But he’s going to have to learn it’s not all about points and scoring.”

Chris Chelios at United Center on October 21, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois.

Tall comparison

Chelios has been a part of some of the best rosters in NHL history. During his time with the Detroit Red Wings, he watched the rise of Steve Yzerman into a league superstar. Now, he believes Bedard could be in for a similar bloom in Chicago.

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“When Scotty Bowman got there and turned [Yzerman’s] game around, he became one of the best two-way centermen in the league,” Chelios admitted. “[Bedard] is kind of in that same boat right now. He’ll buy in; he has to.”

Undecided

Bedard and the Blackhawks have seemingly accepted to play out the 2025-26 NHL season on a contract year, or at least the start of the campaign. However, much more uncertainty surrounds teammate Wyatt Kaiser, a restricted free agent (RFA) who has yet to put pen to paper on a new deal with Chicago.

“It still seems likely a Kaiser contract will be worked out before camp,” Chicago Sun-Times’ Ben Pope commented. Regardless, the wait is driving many impatient in Chi-city. As it stands, Kaiser is one of eight RFAs still unsigned in the NHL.