The Blackhawks skated at the United Center in Chicago on Saturday. The Leafs will hold a media availability at 4:45 pm ET. <\/p>\n
Connor Bedard<\/a> is just 20-years-old and only in his third NHL season, but he\u2019s seen this Leafs story before. <\/p>\n \u201cI feel like every year they kind of start the first 10-15 games [slow] and the whole city is kind of panicked,\u201d the Blackhawks centre said. \u201cThey\u2019re a good team.\u201d<\/p>\n It\u2019s true that the Leafs have had early-season struggles in recent seasons, but this feels different. Toronto is winless in four games (0-3-1) and sitting dead last in goals against per game (3.83). They are also missing several key players due to injury, including captain Auston Matthews<\/a>. <\/p>\n \u201cMatthews is out, which sucks,\u201d said Bedard, who studied the Matthews release while growing up. \u201cBut [William] Nylander, [Matthew] Knies, those guys can make plays and if you\u2019re not aware for a second, they\u2019re going to make you pay. We\u2019ve got to be ready for that.\u201d<\/p>\n What type of opponent is Jeff Blashill expecting? <\/p>\n \u201cOne that\u2019s hungry,\u201d the Blackhawks coach said. \u201cWe\u2019re ready to get their best for sure … A guy like Auston is one of the best players in the league but, with that said, they\u2019ve got really good players still in their lineup, like elite players, and so we\u2019re expecting to get their best.\u201d<\/p>\n Chicago is 10-1-3 in their last 14 games against the Leafs at the United Center. <\/p>\n —<\/p>\n Nylander leads the Leafs in scoring with 25 points in 15 games. <\/p>\n \u201cIt seems like he\u2019s always in a spot where he can make a play or beat a guy or something,\u201d Bedard said. \u201cHe\u2019s one of the funnest players to watch in the league, and he\u2019s someone that you can learn a lot from just watching.\u201d<\/p>\n Bedard keeps a close eye on Nylander\u2019s edge work. <\/p>\n \u201cEvery time he\u2019s coming out of a turn or he\u2019s got a guy on him, he\u2019s always just so balanced,\u201d Bedard said. \u201cThat helps him make more plays. I think he\u2019s one of the top guys in the league for that.\u201d<\/p>\n Nylander has picked up a point in his last 12 games. <\/p>\n \u201cWorld, world, world class skill,\u201d Blashill said. \u201cAs skilled as anybody in the league. He can change a game [with] his skill at any moment. Very, very smart hockey player, who knows when to kind of take off and get into those breakaway situations. Tremendous amount of respect for the player that he is and what he brings to the table. We know he can change a game in an instant.\u201d<\/p>\n And Nylander enjoys these trips to Chicago where his dad, Michael Nylander<\/a>, played four seasons for the Blackhawks (1999-2003). <\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s awesome,\u201d the 29-year-old Swede said. \u201cI\u2019ve been in that rink when I was a kid, so a lot of fun memories running around there in that family room with my brother.\u201d<\/p>\n Nylander usually has family and friends in the building when he visits. <\/p>\n —<\/p>\n Bedard is on a nine-game point streak, which matches his career long run. He\u2019s scored in four straight games, which is a new career high streak. <\/p>\n And, earlier this week, Bedard earned some high praise from Wayne Gretzky<\/a>. <\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s been absolutely spectacular this year,\u201d Gretzky said during a TNT broadcast. \u201cIt\u2019s such a pleasure to see because coming into this league at 18, you [have] all this pressure on you, you [have] all of this focus on you, you\u2019re not a very good team, you\u2019re a young team, you\u2019re rebuilding. He was front and centre. He didn\u2019t back away from anybody or shy away from the media. And for him to work as hard as he did in the off-season to come in and play at the level he\u2019s playing at now, he\u2019s earning his way onto Team Canada. He worked all summer to get to that point where people were going to say, \u2018Hey, it\u2019s really hard to keep him off the team.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n Bedard appreciated the shout out. <\/p>\n \u201cObviously nice of him,\u201d the Vancouver native said. \u201cHe\u2019s probably someone who is the biggest figure in hockey history, so if he is even talking about you, that\u2019s obviously a good thing … It\u2019s cool if he likes what I\u2019m doing or likes what he sees out of me.\u201d<\/p>\n Bedard is strengthening his case to be included on Canada\u2019s Olympic roster not just with his gaudy numbers (26 points in 19 games, tied for third overall in NHL scoring) but with his well-rounded play. <\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s been really, really good at putting himself in position to create offence by checking,\u201d said Blashill. \u201cHe hasn\u2019t cheated for his offence at all.\u201d<\/p>\n Bedard leads all Blackhawks forwards with a plus-eight mark. <\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s going to score points, a lot of them, in this league but for him to be able to do it while also having that thought process of making sure that he takes care of his all-around game has been great,\u201d Blashill continued. \u201cI think he\u2019s led the way that way, to be honest with you. He\u2019s been our leader internally in our scoring chance plus-minus by a lot, and a lot of that isn\u2019t just because he creates a lot, it\u2019s because he hasn\u2019t been involved in giving up a lot.\u201d<\/p>\n Blackhawks captain Nick Foligno<\/a> noticed a different Bedard when he showed up for training camp this season. <\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s really confident in his training over the summer,\u201d Foligno observed. \u201cAnd even just probably getting some rest helped too, honestly. He just looks more refreshed and excited about what\u2019s ahead and I think he\u2019s learning what it is to be a pro.\u201d<\/p>\n Bedard\u2019s development is a big reason why the Blackhawks, who finished 31st overall last season, are holding down a playoff spot so far this year. <\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s been a fun group,\u201d Bedard said. \u201cWe got a really tight-knit group and we\u2019re playing for each other. We\u2019ve really been in every game, so that part of it has been fun.\u201d<\/p>\n —<\/p>\n With Matthews out, John Tavares<\/a> is taking over as the top-line centre. He responded with a two-goal effort in Thursday\u2019s game against the Kings. <\/p>\n \u201cHe brings so much experience,\u201d said defenceman Simon Benoit<\/a>. \u201cHe\u2019s been around the league for so long, and he\u2019s such a good guy off the ice too. He\u2019s always ready to help out, give some advice. Having him around has been a blessing.\u201d<\/p>\n The 35-year-old Tavares is no longer the captain in Toronto, but he continues to play a big leadership role on the team. <\/p>\n \u201cAn incredible guy in the locker room,\u201d said 24-year-old goalie Dennis Hildeby<\/a>. \u201cVery supportive, which is appreciated from a young guy like me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s always got the right voice,\u201d said winger Bobby McMann<\/a>. \u201cHe\u2019s always got a good voice, good things to say, has a good beat on the room. He\u2019s been around a long time so he knows that there\u2019s ebbs and flows in seasons. He knows that it\u2019s not the end all, be all, and we need to continue to work on our game.\u201d<\/p>\n Tavares has stressed the need for urgency during Toronto\u2019s recent slide while also trying to remain calm. <\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s lots of hockey left, but that doesn\u2019t mean you take any game for granted,\u201d Tavares said on Thursday night. \u201cWe still have more than half a season to go. We\u2019re not even at the quarter mark yet. So, just stay together, stay composed, and know we have to play better, and we just got to continue to stay with it.\u201d<\/p>\n —<\/p>\n The vibes are good in Chicago right now with the Blackhawks riding a four-game point streak (3-0-1). Blashill even started dancing during his media session on Saturday. Well, kind of. <\/p>\n