National hockey analysts Mark Messier and Paul Bissonnette have voiced negative opinions about Chicago Blackhawks star forward Connor Bedard. Although Bedard has shown glimpses of his potential, his NHL career has yet to fully develop. Following an injury-shortened rookie season, he currently has 46 points in 53 games, which fall short of superstar expectations. Meanwhile, Chicago holds the second-worst record in the NHL at 16-31-6.
During the second intermission of Wednesday’s Blackhawks-Oilers game broadcast, Bissonnette criticized Bedard’s performance, labeling it as “pond hockey.” These remarks came shortly after Mark Messier’s critique, where he implied that Bedard’s weak stick handling could harm team morale.
“That is pond hockey” 😳
Biz and Ace break down Connor Bedard’s play and have a lot to say about it ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/mOxknvydZD
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) February 6, 2025
Mark Messier on Connor Bedard #Blackhawks https://t.co/iLNuUzED3P pic.twitter.com/oXIyH30r9q
— Wally Mazurek (@WallMaz35) February 1, 2025
“This is a choice and a consequence for a young player,” Messier stated on February 1. “He’s soft on his stick, and I’m sorry, the excuses for a young player are over now. He has to be better than that. He could destroy the morale of the team.”
In response, Bedard addressed the criticism on Thursday, acknowledging that while he understands analysts are paid to share their opinions, he won’t let them distract him from his performance. “I don’t need to watch a broadcast to figure out if I made a mistake. I’m going to know,” he said. “I’m not watching a broadcast or anything, so I’m playing hockey.” He emphasized that he’s aware of his own mistakes and doesn’t rely on media opinions for self-assessment.
Connor Bedard on recent criticism of him on National Broadcasts
“I don’t need to watch a broadcast to figure out if I made a mistake. I’m going to know.” pic.twitter.com/x2z6ukETBh
— CHGO Blackhawks (@CHGO_Blackhawks) February 6, 2025
“Hey, man, I know if I messed up a play,” he asserted. “If I make a mistake, I know. So, I don’t need to watch a TNT broadcast to figure out if I made a mistake.” Unfortunately for Bedard, it seems that Messier, Bissonnette, and other analysts will continue their candid critiques until they see noticeable improvements on the ice.
