How Blackhawks' Connor Bedard is drawing more penalties

Blackhawks forward Connor Bedard loves operating in the middle of the ice. The attention he draws there, combined with his attacking mindset, forces defenses to frequently commit penalties against him.

Since Bedard returned from his fractured jaw on Feb. 15, he has drawn 10 penalties, four more than any Hawks player and tied for 11th in the NHL.

For the season as a whole, he has drawn 21 penalties, one more than second-place Ryan Donato among Hawks players.

“He likes to attack the middle, and anytime you do that, you’re going to put guys on edge,” forward Nick Foligno said. “He’s not afraid; he’s fearless. Teams don’t like it, and instead of getting embarrassed by him, they’re going to want to take him down or get a penalty to avoid something like that.”

Bedard’s approach gives the Hawks more opportunities on the power play. Although they couldn’t convert on their lone power play after he drew a holding penalty in the third period of Tuesday’s 2-1 loss to the Islanders, those chances help a Hawks team trying to play spoiler to finish the regular season.

What has helped the rookie forward draw penalties is moving his feet more and not overthinking the game. When he makes defenses react to him, it causes them to come out of their comfort zone.

“It sounds pretty simple, but I think that’s when I’m playing my best: [when I'm] attacking the game,” Bedard said. “It makes it a little harder on guys. If I’m always moving and trying to get into spaces, maybe it makes it a little tougher on guys, and sometimes you can draw some [penalties].”

The NHL is a fast-paced league, so slowing down and trying to find the best play is sometimes a detriment. Coach Luke Richardson said that going with your first instinct is sometimes right at this point of the year.

Richardson said he has seen Bedard working harder to get the puck back, putting him in a better position on defense.

“When the puck goes away from him in the 'O'-zone, I’m noticing he's way better at reloading back on top,” Richardson said. “It allows the other guys to pressure. [Once] we’ve turned pucks over, then it usually comes back to the guy who’s high, coming down the middle or in the shot position. Now that he’s working and getting into those spots, the puck is coming to him more, and that’s what we want.”

Richardson added that Bedard can draw penalties because of his slipperiness and hockey IQ.

“He’s not putting himself in harm’s way; he's just attacking through the cracks where he knows someone has to put an arm on him nowadays,” Richardson said. “They have to reach in, and that’s great because he knows he gets the benefit from that.”

The Hawks want Bedard to have the puck in the middle of the ice, creating chances either for himself or others. He leads the team with 213 scoring chances this season, per Natural Stat Trick. No other Hawk has more than 144, so the disparity is enormous.

“He’s always looking for ways to get better, and you see that out there,” Foligno said. “He tinkers with ways he’s going to shoot the puck, and that’s what great players do. They try to figure out ways to generate more offense if they’re not feeling like they’re getting it themselves."

Note: The Hawks signed Nick Lardis to a three-year, entry-level contract that runs through the 2026-27 season. Lardis, a 2023 third-round pick, has scored 50 points in 37 games this season with the OHL's Brantford Bulldogs and recently returned from a wrist injury.