WINNIPEG, Manitoba — The situation in which Blackhawks rookie center Connor Bedard finds himself is unfair. He knows it. His teammates know it. Hawks management, coaches and fans know it.
Having done nothing other than win the NHL’s Rookie of the Month award for November, the 18-year-old has been hurled headfirst into the Corey Perry saga, thanks to rampant and unfounded rumors on social media that his family was involved in the misconduct that led to Perry’s contract termination this week.
Hawks general manager Kyle Davidson held back tears Tuesday, his emotions seeming to stem less from the facts of the Perry situation and more from the undeserved negative impact he knows this has had on Bedard. Perry, in his apology statement Thursday, also went out of his way to note he’s “sickened by the impact this has had” and to clarify that “in no way did this involve any of my teammates or their families,” as Davidson also reiterated Thursday.
Yet on Friday, Bedard — back for the first time as a Hawk in western Canada, where he grew up and played his junior hockey — was hit with repeated questions about the matter from Winnipeg reporters.
“[When] you’ve got the attention on you, stuff’s going to happen,” Bedard answered initially after a pause. “Whether you did nothing or you’re not involved in the situation at all, somehow it’s all about you. That’s not fair, but that’s how life works.”
He grew increasingly uncomfortable with each new question.
“I don’t need to answer any more questions about this stuff,” he said in response to the second one. “Obviously, it’s all just a bunch of B.S. on the internet. It’s of course [had] an effect on myself and my family, but who cares? It’s out of our control. And it’s all just fake, made-up stuff.”
His third response: “It’s whatever, like I said. Stuff gets out there, and people want to make jokes. Obviously, what happened with [Perry] is serious, and the first concern is he’s OK and his family [is OK]. It’s not great, but it’s out of our control. I don’t need to talk too much further on it.”
The interview finally went in a different direction then, allowing Bedard to talk about newly acquired forward Anthony Beauvillier’s first day of practice on Bedard’s line. But his handling of the situation to that point was a remarkable demonstration of poise and maturity. Many a young athlete would be overwhelmed by a spotlight half as bright as the one that now illuminates Bedard’s every move — not to mention the moves he’s falsely alleged to have made. Even the teenage NHL stars who eventually find their footing and succeed often make missteps along the way.
The Hawks saw that firsthand with wing Patrick Kane, who was arrested in 2009 during his second NHL offseason for beating a cab driver in Buffalo, New York — his first of several off-ice controversies. Kane has cleaned up his image considerably since, but he’s proof of how easily the fame, attention and never-ending pressure of being a No. 1 overall pick in a market like Chicago can lead someone astray.
Bedard is facing the same challenges to an even greater degree because of the growth in hockey’s popularity and the proliferation of social media, but he’s handling those challenges far better, without a single misstep so far. He’s not immune. But his ability to not let his emotions get the best of him, to keep his ego in check, to keep his focus solely on his on-ice performance and to be a role model for millions of kids who now idolize him deserves praise.
“I’ve never seen anything like it, and it’s impressive how he’s handled it,” wing Nick Foligno, the Hawks’ de facto captain, said recently. “After every game, there’s somebody that wants to meet him. Some kid from some other team — it could be anybody. It’s hilarious, actually, how many people come out of the woodwork just to bring their kid down to meet him. He always has time. Whether he’s in a good mood or a bad mood, he just goes over and makes that kid’s day.
“For some of those kids . . . that might be the only opportunity they ever get to meet somebody like that. For him to be selfless like that, it speaks volumes about him as a person and how he understands his role in this league. It’s a great sign for a guy that’s going to play for a lot of years.”
Red Wings forward David Perron was the latest person to make such a request Thursday, later posting a photo of his starstruck son with Bedard — an example of the positive side of social media.
Bedard has been exposed to the cruel side, too. It was good to hear him at least call it as it is: “unfair.” But it wasn’t good to hear him forced to continue discussing it.
It’s impressive how well he’s playing, with 18 points in his first 21 games, including 12 points in 12 games in November heading into Saturday’s matinee against the Jets.
It’s even more impressive how he’s navigating a nearly impossible situation off the ice with wisdom, patience and maturity.
