Connor Bedard Snags Attention of NHL Fans and Sports Betting Operators in Season Debut
The 18-year-old Blackhawks sensation is already making waves following his league debut.
Connor Bedard is not just taking the NHL by storm.
The Chicago Blackhawks rookie center has commanded the attention of television viewers and legal sports betting operators as well.
Bedard, the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, made his career debut on Tuesday in a 4-3 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins — a game that drew the largest regular-season cable audience ever that wasn’t a Winter Classic matchup. Bedard’s presence helped bring in a 0.8 rating and a record-breaking 1.43 million viewers on ESPN.
By comparison, the Las Vegas Golden Knights drew 691,000 viewers on a night where the reigning Stanley Cup champions hoisted their banner.
Bedard picked up an assist in the game to record his first career point and then notched his first goal a night later against the Boston Bruins, who beat the Blackhawks 3-1. The 18-year-old became the third-youngest player in Blackhawks history to score a goal.
Getting in on the action
Online betting sites are also getting in on Connor-mania, as FanDuel is currently offering “Bedard Specials.”
These proposition bets capture some of the key first moments of Bedard’s career, like wagering at +130 that he’ll record a hat trick (3 goals scored) in a single game this season.
Think he’ll get two or more? That’s listed at +850, and getting a hat trick in his first 20 NHL games can be wagered on at +650. Scoring a goal against each Central Division team is currently +700.
The Over/Under on Bedard's goals this season is set at 31.5 (-106 over) while his season point total is 71.5 (-128 under). The latest first-overall pick is also a -150 favorite to capture the Calder Trophy, which goes to the NHL’s top rookie.
Hype train
The hype around Bedard started long before the NHL’s regular season began this week. The Vancouver native has been deemed one of the top hockey prospects ever.
The 18-year-old burst on the scene in 2018 and helped lead the Canadian under-18 team to a pair of championships. He went on to play in the Western Hockey League for the Regina Pats beginning in 2020 before becoming the top draft pick that everyone coveted.
It was a no-brainer decision for a Chicago Blackhawks franchise that had won just 54 games combined in the last two seasons and hasn’t made the Stanley Cup playoffs since 2019-20.
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