NHL News: Chicago star Connor Bedard issues straightforward admission after awful Winter Classic loss

The Chicago Blackhawks let their biggest event of the NHL season slip away with a horrendous performance at the Winter Classic. The St. Louis Blues walked into Wrigley Field and knocked it out of the park, while fans in Chicago witnessed yet another lackluster outing. After the game, star Connor Bedard voiced a very sincere admission.

If the Hawks couldn’t change their tune outside in the elements, with 40,000 fans in attendance, then nothing can help Chicago. In the NHL’s biggest game of the regular season, the Blackhawks were humiliated.

The Blues seized an early lead, and things only spiraled downward for the Blackhawks. Chicago was handed a whooping 6-2 loss, and the season may very well come to an end for the Hawks. The Winter Classic had been their beacon of hope, but not even the magic and aura of Wrigley Field could lift them from the bottom of the standings.

Bedard delivered an uninspiring, quiet performance as the Blues dominated the Blackhawks with a commanding display. In his first Winter Classic, Bedard was unable to shift Chicago’s fortunes, leaving the organization winless at 0-5-0 in this marquee event.

Connor Bedard #98 of the Chicago Blackhawks warms up prior to the 2024 NHL Winter Classic against the St. Louis Blues at Wrigley Field on December 31, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois.

“We’re obviously, in our room, disappointed with ourselves, but I feel bad for our fan base, coming out to this and we lay an egg,” Connor Bedard stated postgame, via New York Times. “Forthy-thousand people out there, probably thirty-plus-thousand of them our fans, and those tickets aren’t cheap.”

see also

NHL News: Commissioner Gary Bettman sends cryptic message hinting at 2025 Winter Classic's destination

Nick Foligno sends harsh wake-up call

Blackhawks forward Nick Foligno entered the game with a perfect 1-0 Winter Classic record and a clear determination to keep his streak alive. But after an embarrassing defeat and the Blues delivering the final blow to the Blackhawks’ hopes, Foligno sent a resounding message to his teammates.

“No one’s going to feel sorry for us, no one’s going to try to help us out,” Nick Foligno stated, per Mark Lazerus of The Athletic. “We’ve got to help ourselves out. And that’s the disappointing part, it seems we crumble right now as opposed to digging in.”

Long season ahead with no hopes

As tough as it is to admit, fans in the Windy City might prefer to fast-forward to the end of this season, pinning their hopes on a brighter 2025-26 campaign. The rebuild is progressing at a sluggish pace, and each defeat compounds the team’s mounting frustration—now towering higher than the Sears Tower itself.