Chicago Blackhawks forward Connor Bedard finally made his NHL debut Tuesday against the Pittsburgh Penguins, a moment hockey fans have anticipated for several years.
Squaring off against Sidney Crosby — a once generational prospect who exceeded the hype in his own right — Bedard was the main focus of Tuesday’s season-opening tripleheader. It started off comically as Bedard almost forgot his stick ahead of warmups, but once the puck dropped, it was all business.
Kelly Sutherland, who has refereed an Olympic gold-medal game and several Stanley Cup Finals, seemingly understood the magnitude of the moment, saying “Connor, welcome to the NHL, man!