Connor Bedard has been considered “The Future of Hockey” since he was just 13 years old. Now, at the age of 18, the NHL’s top overall pick has made his much-anticipated league debut, and it turned out to be the most-watched regular-season game ever on ESPN.
In his first NHL appearance, the rookie notched his first NHL point with an assist in his Chicago Blackhawks’ impressive 4-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins, a team led by Bedard’s childhood hero, Sidney Crosby. ESPN reported that the game garnered an average of 1.43 million total viewers, marking a network record, and attracted 676,000 viewers in the coveted 18-49 demographic.
A "Chasing Greatness" career goals tracker for Connor Bedard vs Wayne Gretzky before going to Gretzky in the NHL on TNT studio. 🏒📺😂 pic.twitter.com/0ppkqtsp4K
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) October 12, 2023
The question of whether Connor Bedard will surpass Wayne Gretzky’s all-time NHL goals record is a hot topic among hockey fans. Connor Bedard, the rising star for the Chicago Blackhawks and the No. 1 pick in 2023, is making waves as he gears up for his NHL debut and is being compared with Gretzky and his record.
During the recent Upper Deck/NHLPA Rookie Showcase in Arlington, Virginia, Bedard offered his perspective on Wayne Gretzky’s all-time scoring record. He mentioned, “I think I shoot the puck a little different than him, just with his one-timer and stuff. I try to watch him and try to take some things from specifically the one-timer, but mine’s not nearly as good as his. But you can learn some things.”
