The No. 1 overall pick of the 2023 NHL Draft finally made his regular season debut on Tuesday night. Connor Bedard had an assist in his first game, helping the Chicago Blackhawks defeat the Pittsburgh Penguins. Then, on Wednesday, Bedard hit another milestone, scoring the first goal of his NHL career.
Remember, Bedard is just 18 years old. While he had two years of prior experience in the major junior-level Western Hockey League, this kid is the youngest player in the NHL, and he’s already making an impact, just two games into his professional career.
Naturally, there’s plenty of interest surrounding the hockey phenom, with all eyes curious to see how quickly the generational talent adapts to the speed of the NHL. Apparently, that intrigue is at an all-time high.
Both of Bedard’s games were on primetime TV, giving hockey fans the opportunity to catch a glimpse of the British Columbian star.
Bedard’s regular season debut against Pittsburgh was the most-viewed regular season NHL game in ESPN history, averaging 1.43 million viewers.
Then, a day later, Bedard took on Boston on TNT, which led to an average of 917,000 viewers, which equates to the second-most watched regular season game in network history. The NHL record for the most-watched hockey game in cable TV history remains the 2022 Winter Classic, which pulled in an average of 1.3 million viewers.
With Bedard already delivering on the ice, it’s clear his presence has been a big boost to the NHL, and the fun is only just beginning.
Related: See where Connor Bedard’s Chicago Blackhawks land in Sportsnaut’s NHL power rankings