Should The Blackhawks Move Connor Bedard To The Wing
This blog is for Blackhawks fans only. I can't deal with anymore trolls.
The biggest and only real discussions around the Blackhawks right now is "who should play with Connor Bedard?" and more quietly "what is wrong with Connor Bedard?"
The Blackhawks are 16 games into year 2 of the Bedard era. So far he's sitting at 13 points. Certainly not horrible. Nearly a point per game player. Having said that...they didn't draft him to be a point per game player. They drafted him with the hopes that he'd eventually put up over 100 points. Nine players hit the 100 point mark last year. If the Blackhawks are going to get where they need to go they need Bedard to be a top 10 scorer in the NHL. He's clearly not on pace for that right now.
The coaching staff has tried seemingly everyone with Bedard on his wings this year. By my count it's been Bertuzzi, Reichel, Hall, Donato, Foligno, and Teravainen. Not a single combination has produced the results and support that the Blackhawks were hoping for this year. And make no mistake, this is another lost year, and EVERYTHING has to be about getting the most out of Connord Bedard. 3 goals this year and only 7 total dating back to last year. That's simply not enough.
I don't think the lack of production is due to lack of talent or desire. Some of it is certainly puck luck. He's shooting a shockingly low 5.8% compared to last year's 10.7%. The previous two games though were concerning. Underlying numbers moving in the wrong direction. You can't improve your shooting percentage if you're not getting any shots. Dallas and Minnesota are tough teams to play against, but if he's a franchise player then he and the team need to figure out ways to get him producing against other elite players.
He might just be playing the wrong position in the NHL. Playing center is harder than playing on a wing. More defensive responsibility. Less space. Hard areas. Bedard has no doubt improved his defensive game this year, but the Blackhawks didn't draft him to be an average center defensively and an above average center offensively. They drafted him to light the world on fire and maybe the best way to do that is to take some responsibility off of his plate.
I want to try him on a wing. Free him up. Have him focused on attacking. He can cheat a little leaving the zone. He will have more space out wide and in transition.
If Bedard isn't going to be Sidney Crosby, then maybe try to have him be Nikita Kucherov. Kucherov is so nasty on the right side. Everything runs through him in that spot. Bedard has some similar tools. Great play-making. High end shot. And most importantly the edge work. Kucherov, especially on the PP, is able to manipulate defenders and create lanes just by changing his feet. His edges keep every defender off balance when he has the puck. Bedard has that same ability to change direction and move the defenders with only slight movements. He needs to be free and play free and I also think he needs to get some confidence going too.
The obvious, glaring problem with this idea is...the Blackhawks don't really have any centers. That is a short term problem and a long term problem because as exciting as Nazar and Moore look to be...they're probably best suited to play wing in the NHL too. In the short term...Dickinson is a center. Who else? Reichel has had some success there, but on the 4th line. Kurashev can play some center. Foligno and Donato are in the same boat. Not great, but like I said...it's a lost year. It's all about Bedard's development. Getting the absolute most out of him and if the Blackhawks are weaker down the middle in the short term while unleashing Bedard's offensive potential then that is a sacrifice I am willing to make.
Give me a run of games with these lines
Bedard-Dickinson-Teravainen
Your best two way center and your best two way wing. Dickinson can skate and is the best face-off guy the Blackhawks have. I trust those two guys to play at Bedard's pace and get him the puck more.
Hall-Kurashev-Bertuzzi
On paper it looks okay-ish. Kurashev is solid, you hope Bertuzzi and Hall can win enough battles and get some secondary scoring.
Anderson/Mikheyev-Foligno-Donato
Maroon-Reichel-Smith
This line has been pretty solid. It's been Reichel's most comfortable position this year. I like those two guys around him.
Overall...it's not a good team. Nobody is scare of that lineup. I would like to experiment. Pull some different levers. It's time to see if another plan can work and find some homes for Bedard and a few of the others. No stone left unturned. And if Bedard does light it up as a wing then that helps plan the future as well. They know which holes they need to fill. Worth a shot, in my humble, blogger, opinion.