Prior to the Bears’ season opening, Blackhawks star Connor Bedard had high expectations for Chicago rookie Caleb Williams.
Late Friday night, Blackhawks distinctive Connor Bedard went live on Instagram. The 19-year-old discussed his excitement for Chicago’s sports scene. Bedard displayed appreciation for Caleb Williams, the new Chicago Bears quarterback. Williams, the No. 1 pick in the 2024 draft, debuts this Sunday against Tennessee. His game begins at 12:00 at Soldier Field.
Bedard, sporting a Bulls hat, said,
“Yeah. Give me the Bears. Caleb (Caleb Williams), I’m sure he’s loving the city. How couldn’t you? Obviously, we have to play in the best sports city in the world. So, I mean, they’re just going to be heated up. Huge free agency. Yeah. I mean, I think. I think they’re going to be. They’re going to make the playoffs. They’re going to be a team to watch. And Caleb. Caleb’s going to be gazing at the Bears all day.”
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Williams inked a four-year, $39.49 million fully guaranteed agreement with the Bears. His contract includes a $25.5 million signing bonus. Williams won the Heisman Trophy, Maxwell Award and Walter Camp Award at USC.
With Bedard’s support, the Bears’ season looks hopeful for Chicago supporters. Bedard begins his sophomore season next month. As the top overall choice in the 2023 NHL Draft, he is expected to seize Chicago’s reigns as captain soon.
Expectations from Connor Bedard’s sophomore season with Blackhawks
Connor Bedard thought his debut season with the Chicago Blackhawks was merely “OK.” However, it was fairly remarkable. Bedard was the most productive rookie season by a No. 1 pick since Connor McDavid in 2015-16, with 61 points in 68 games and an average of 0.90 points per game. However, sustaining or bettering these stats in his second season will be tough.
Historically, rookies who tally at least 0.80 points per game have slightly fallen in their second seasons. On average, they scored 0.91 points per game in their second year, down from 0.92 in their debut season. This tendency demonstrates sophomore seasons can be tough.
That said, assuming Bedard remains fit and makes the appropriate changes, aiming for 77 to 82 points is realistic. The British Columbia native must also improve his puck possession and defensive performance to exceed expectations. Better performance from his linemates, particularly new arrivals Teuvo Teravainen and Tyler Bertuzzi, will assist.