In February, Connor Bedard's list of accomplishments in his first year in the National Hockey League grows even longer as he becomes the youngest player in history to play in an All-Star Game.
If he actually takes part in this meeting on February 3rd, the Chicago Blackhawks representative will set a new mark at the peak of his 18 years and 202 days. However, the record for attendance at an All-Star Weekend is held by Fleming MacKell, who was 18 years and 16 days old at the 1948 edition.
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No rookie player has competed in this annual classic since Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes in 2020. Matty Beniers of the Seattle Kraken was invited to participate last year but had to miss the game due to injury.
On Thursday evening, a few hours after the announcement, the Blackhawks lost 4-1 to the New York Rangers. Bedard was not made available to the media, but head coach Luke Richardson had a few words to say about his protégé.
“I am sure this is a very exciting announcement for him and his family. He really got off to a good start,” he said of the man who put up 33 points in 38 games.
“There is still a lot to learn for an 18-year-old in this league, but one of them is how to deal with the ups and downs. At the moment our team is down, so the players individually feel responsible and believe they can do better. But it's a great achievement for [Bedard] and hopefully it gives him a boost and a spark to his game,” Richardson explained.
At the All-Star Game, 12 more players will join the 32 others announced Thursday after a public vote. A Bedard teammate is unlikely to be chosen. However, he will have the opportunity to interact with several of the league's stars such as Auston Matthews, Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby.
The All-Star Game will take place February 1-3 in Toronto.