The NHL is filled to the brim with young, talented players on the brink of becoming superstars. One of them is Connor Bedard. ndA during last night’s broadcast, Wayne Gretzky got brutally honest about the young phenom.
The Chicago Blackhawks have been a bit of a surprise so far this season, currently sitting in sixth place in the Western Conference. The Hawks are the third-youngest team in the league, with an average age of 26.17 years, and aren’t expected to be contenders for a few more seasons. But with the way Connor Bedard is playing right now, nothing seems impossible.
READ MORE: Connor Bedard takes huge dig at Los Angeles Kings
Gretzky gets honest about Connor Bedard
Still only 20 years old, Bedard has recorded 26 points in 17 games so far and is on pace for 125 points this season. Alongside fellow young stars Macklin Celebrini and Leo Carlsson, he’s currently tied for second place in the league scoring race. Now, according to none other than Wayne Gretzky, Bedard is playing his way onto the Olympic roster for Team Canada.
”With all this pressure”
During last night’s NHL on TNT broadcast, Gretzky praised Bedard’s progress and claimed he deserves a spot on Team Canada’s roster for the 2026 Olympics, which begin on February 11.
“First of all, he’s been absolutely spectacular this year. It’s such a pleasure to see. Coming into this league at 18, with all this pressure on you, and being on a young team — he didn’t back away from anybody or shy away from the media,” Gretzky said on the broadcast.
“For him to work as hard as he did in the offseason and come in and play at the level he’s playing at now, he’s earning his way onto Team Canada. He worked all summer to get to that point, and people are going to say, ‘Hey, it’s really hard to keep him off the team.’ So, good for him. Faces don’t lie — you can see on his face, he’s smiling,” Gretzky added.
You can watch it below.
READ MORE: 2026 Olympic Hockey: Schedule, TV Times, and Rosters
