What's going on with Connor Bedard and the Chicago Blackhawks?

There’s nothing wrong with Connor Bedard this season, except for the doubts surrounding him.

No one is even coming close to his talent among recent draft classes — not Matvei Michkov, who’s currently outscoring him, not Leo Carlsson and Adam Fantilli, and not even Macklin Celebrini, who’s receiving plenty of praise for his complete game.

Bedard regularly makes plays that most NHLers can’t even imagine. Already one of the very best playmakers in the league, he still has a long development runway and will only become more creative.

That doesn’t mean he’s not making mistakes. He’s forcing plays, deferring to teammates when he should use his shot, and his defensive game needs improvement. He lacks power along the walls, at the net, and when skating in straight lines. One expects these kinds of er