NEWSLETTER
We’re ten games away from the end of the 2023-24 regular season, and Connor Bedard continues to put up remarkable numbers for at age 18 in his first professional season. He will likely join Steve Larmer on the list of Blackhawks who have won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL’s rookie of the year when it’s all said and done.
But Bedard isn’t going to catch many/any of the rookie records Larmer still owns for the Blackhawks organization.
During the Blackhawks’ game on Tuesday night, SportsNet showed this graphic to its audience to illustrate the fantastic season Bedard is having for the Blackhawks this year. His point-per-game rate is third-best in the history of the Blackhawks organization. But look who’s first on that list: Steve Larmer.
When I wrote my bold predictions for the 2023-24 season I outlined the Blackhawks’ franchise rookie records. Here are the rookie records Larmer still holds in Chicago:
Man, Larmer really had one great season 41 years ago, didn’t he?
I can confidently say with ten games remaining in the 2023-24 regular season that Bedard won’t catch Larmer’s 43 goals or 91 points. He’ll have to go on one helluva heater to catch his 1.13 points/game. He has two game-winning goals entering Thursday, so seven in the final ten Blackhawks’ games feels like a reach. Bedard needs 14 power play points in ten games to catch Larmer’s 33. And he needs 12 even-strength goals to catch Larmer in that category as well.
With all of the hype and excitement around Bedard, a reminder that Larmer’s rookie season remains the gold standard for Blackhawks rookies is just another reason why his No. 28 should be in the rafters at the United Center.
