Connor Bedard's one particular hockey fundamental impresses Alex Ovechkin

By Abhishek Dilta

Modified Dec 15, 2023 17:02 GMT

Having already played against his idol Sidney Crosby, Connor Bedard was up against Alex Ovechkin for the first time this season on Sunday.

Although the Blackhawks lost the game to the Ovechkin's Capitals (4-2) at home, Bedard continued with his impressive form and tallied two assists in the matchup.

Bedard has continued to live up to expectations and is by far the best rookie in the league.

Ovechkin recently praised Bedard's shooting abilities. Ahead of Sunday's matchup, both Bedard and Ovechkin had high praise for each other.

When questioned about Bedard, Ovechkin said:

"It's pretty crazy. Yeah, it is great. You can see all the young guys who came to the league. They are superstars; they're very talented players. It's fun to watch how they play. Now, wish them the best of luck, not against us. I think he [Bedard] has a tremendous shot—a wrist shot. We didn't play much against each other. When you watch some highlights, you know he's talented and has a great future."

Ovechkin visited the United Center last December in what was a historic moment for him as he netted a hat trick to accomplish the 800-goal mark. In Sunday's matchup, the "Great Eight" had one assist.

This season, Ovechkin has accumulated 16 points through five goals and 11 assists in 25 games. He's gone goalless in his last five games but needs only 67 more strikes to surpass Wayne Gretzky (894 goals) as the NHL's all-time leading scorer.

What's next for Connor Bedard and the Blackhawks?

Washington Capitals v Chicago Blackhawks

Bedard is the leading scorer for the Blackhawks this season. With two assists against the Caps, the 18-year-old has notched up 23 points with an impressive tally of 11 goals and 12 assists after 27 games of his rookie year.

Moreover, he's also leading the race for the Calder Trophy, which celebrates the best rookie in the league.

Bedard has already played against Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin this season. On Tuesday, he'll face Connor McDavid, whom Bedard greatly admires:

“Just growing up and watching him, it was always him and [Sidney] Crosby battling,” Bedard said. “And of course McDavid, what he’s done in the last eight years is obviously remarkable. He’s going to go down as one of the best players ever. Him and Draisaitl of course, it’s pretty exciting.”

The puck for the Chicago Blackhawks versus the Edmonton Oilers drops at 10 p.m. ET.