We are now just 48 days away from the start of the 2023–2024 Blackhawks season, and I think I speak for everyone when I say this summer is going by way too slowly. Despite the low expectations for this team, this season is going to be one to remember as it begins the Bedard Era. When you have a team that isn’t expected to win, you need to look at small milestones and key moments to really keep excitement levels high. With that in mind, I wanted to list five games that should be circled on the schedule as must-watch TV, and spoiler alert: this is going to be heavily Bedard-themed.
October 10th vs. Pittsburgh Penguins in Pittsburgh
This game speaks for itself; it will be the first official game we see Connor Bedard in a Blackhawks sweater. To make this an even better moment for the kid, he gets to play his first NHL game against his idol, Sidney Crosby. This can be seen as almost a passing of the torch from one of the game's all-time greats to a player who has the potential to surpass what Crosby was able to do in his career. The real question here is: will Bedard be able to top Austin Matthews debut by scoring four goals? just kidding... kind of.
October 21st vs. the Vegas Golden Knights in Chicago
What’s not to get excited about with this one? It’s the home opener and the first time the home crowd gets a look at Bedard in the flesh, and it’s against the defending Stanley Cup Champions. This will be a good game to see where this team really stands and what to expect against top-tier talent.
November 26th vs. St. Louis Blues in Chicago
Plain and simple, this is a game I always get excited for; nothing beats rival hockey, especially between these two teams. We can lose every game this season, but if the Hawks can fill the net and get Binnington yanked with a classic meltdown, I would call that a successful season.
January 9th, vs. Edmonton Oilers in Chicago
This one is in line with the Penguins game. It's Bedard vs. McDavid; leading up to the draft, all we heard was how Bedard could be the next McDavid, so getting to see them head-to-head will be a treat to watch. If Bedard turns out to be half of what McDavid has shown so far in his career, I think we are going to really enjoy the Bedard show. Hopefully, McDavid vs. Bedard will get the same vibes as Ovechkin vs. Crosby did earlier in their careers.
January 13th vs. Dallas Stars in Chicago
Now this is the odd man out on my list, and this should come with a giant asterisk. I am circling this game on my calendar based on rumors that are out there. Patrick Kane appears to be a big target for Dallas, and he wants to play for a contender. Dallas is a team to watch in the Western Conference, so this rumor isn’t so far-fetched. Kane isn’t expected to be back until after American Thanksgiving, and if all this happens, this will be the first game for him back in Chicago in almost a year (his last game came on February 21st, 2023). When 88 comes back, you cannot miss it.
There will always be games that you get a little bit more excited to watch than others, but these five, to me, seem like ones to really get behind this season. I would love to see which games you are looking forward to most this season.
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