Connor Bedard’s rise to the Calder memorial trophy

TOI Sports Desk / TIMESOFINDIA.COM / Updated: Apr 16, 2025, 16:43 IST

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Connor Bedard, the Chicago Blackhawks' prized rookie and first overall pick in the 2023 draft, has clinched the Calder Memorial Trophy. Bedard's impressive 22-goal, 61-point season earned him a unanimous victory in the voting. Despite missing 14 games due to injury, he showcased remarkable consistency and skill.

Connor Bedard’s rise to the Calder memorial trophy

Connor Bedard produced an extraordinary first-year performance after joining the Chicago Blackhawks professional roster. After being chosen as the first overall pick in the 2023 draft the 18-year-old center maintained the highest level of expectation through his 22-goal 61-point rookie season. His extraordinary rookie season secured the Calder Memorial Trophy for being the NHL's Rookie of the Year at the 2024 NHL Awards in Las Vegas.

Chicago Blackhawk’s Dominant Voting Results

Connor Bedard Greatest Rookie Highlights (2023-2024)

Every Professional Hockey Writers Association member selected Bedard to win as they cast every one of their 194 ballots in his favor. A total of 1,808 points led him to victory with 152 first votes and 39 second votes in the NHL residents' poll. Minnesota Wild defenseman Brock Faber obtained 1,464 points in the second spot as New Jersey Devils blueliner Luke Hughes finished with 686 points in third position.

The injury kept Bedard out of 14 games but did not stop him from remaining dominant during his matches. The last 29 games of his season became memorable for Bedard as he scored 28 points while demonstrating reliable skills and consistency. His 39 assists also tied Faber for the most among rookies.

Chicago Blackhawk’s Legacy of Calder Winners

Credit: Getty Image

The Blackhawks organization has presented Bedard with the Calder Trophy on its tenth occasion. The Calder Trophy has been previously won by Artemi Panarin (2015-16), Patrick Kane (2007-08), and Ed Belfour as well as Tony Esposito who are two of the outstanding greats in the Blackhawks franchise history. The achievement delivers an additional positive development for the Chicago reconstruction efforts toward their upcoming successes.
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Chicago Blackhawk’s Handling the Spotlight with Ease

Bedard has demonstrated an agile response to both teenage hockey future predictions and NHL exposure by facing the pressures with maturity. Although he heard outside distractions he chose to concentrate on his gameplay and showed appreciation to his family members and teammates.
The completion of his rookie year has allowed him to advance. The young player intends to use his prior experience to help the Blackhawks advance to their next phase. He feels content to shift the draft attention from himself to upcoming talented junior players as the time draws near.
According to Bedard, the Calder Trophy marks only the start of his hockey career.

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TOI Sports Desk

The TOI Sports Desk excels in a myriad of roles that capture the essence of live sporting events and deliver compelling content to readers worldwide. From running live blogs for India and non-India cricket matches to global spectacles featuring Indian talents, like the Chess World Cup final featuring Praggnanandhaa and the Badminton World Championships semifinal featuring HS Prannoy, our live coverage extends to all mega sporting events. We extensively cover events like the Olympics, Asian Games, Cricket World Cups, FIFA World Cups, and more. The desk is also adept at writing comprehensive match reports and insightful post-match commentary, complemented by stats-based articles that provide an in-depth analysis of player performances and team dynamics. We track news wires for key stories, conduct exclusive player interviews in both text and video formats, and file content from print editions and reporters. We keep track of all viral stories, trending topics and produce our own copies on the subjects. We deliver accurate, engaging, and up-to-the-minute sports content, round the clock.

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