Watch: Connor Bedard makes special appearance alongside idol Sidney Crosby at NHL All-Star Skills competition

Modified Feb 03, 2024 06:02 GMT

Connor Bedard, the No. 1 pick for the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2023 NHL draft, made a special appearance alongside his idol Sidney Crosby at the 2024 NHL All-Star Skills competition at Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, on Friday.

Bedard is recovering from a fractured jaw sustained against the New Jersey Devils last month. However, that didn't stop him from making his debut appearance at the All-Star Skills event.

Connor Bedard made a special appearance during One Timer, the second competition of the event. The 18-year-old rookie acted as a special guest passer alongside his idol, Sidney Crosby, and passed to Nathan MacKinnon, who won the event with 23 points.

Watch the video below:

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Bedard expressed his contentment with the NHL All-Star event experience. He mentioned that while he's not actively participating, he's having a great time observing the event (via NHL.com):

"It’s good. I mean, obviously not doing a lot but taking it all in,” Bedard said. “Just watching these guys is a lot of fun. Obviously being in Toronto, a pretty big hockey market. It’s cool to see the turnout. It’s fun.

Bedard added:

“Of course, you want to be (playing in the All-Star Game), but I’m grateful to be here, and I get to enjoy it.”

The 2024 NHL All-Star Skills competition came to an end, with Edmonton Oilers star Connor McDavid taking home $1 million after accumulating the most points across eight events.

When will Connor Bedard return?

After being named to the 2024 NHL All-Star Game, Bedard sustained a fractured jaw after taking a hit from Devils defenseman Brendan Smith during the first period of the Blackhawks' 4-2 defeat at the Prudential Center on Jan. 5.

Connor Bedard left the contest with his hands on his mouth. Three days later, he underwent surgery, and it was announced that it would take Bedard at least 3-5 weeks to fully recover.

Although Bedard resumed skating on Jan. 15, Hawks coach Luke Richardson said that the timeline for the player's return remains unchanged. This season, Bedard has notched up 33 points through 15 goals and 18 assists in 39 games, making him the leading scorer for the bottom-placed Hawks.