{"id":3179,"date":"2024-11-17T01:34:59","date_gmt":"2024-11-17T01:34:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/breakingnews.azontree.com\/?p=3179"},"modified":"2024-11-17T01:34:59","modified_gmt":"2024-11-17T01:34:59","slug":"breaking-special-guests-take-note-of-connor-bedards-morning-skate-ahead-of-his-first-game-at-rogers-arena","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/breakingnews.azontree.com\/?p=3179","title":{"rendered":"BREAKING: Special guests take note of Connor Bedard’s morning skate ahead of his first game at Rogers Arena"},"content":{"rendered":"
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North Shore Winter Club minor hockey team, wearing their jerseys in the stands, check out Bedard and Chicago Blackhawks play Vancouver<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\"Special<\/picture>
North Vancouver phenom Connor Bedard allowed himself to admit to being a tad nostalgic ahead of his first NHL game at Rogers Arena.\u00a0 Photo by Steph Chambers \/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/header>\n
North Vancouver phenom Connor Bedard allowed himself to admit to being a tad nostalgic ahead of his first NHL game at Rogers Arena.<\/p>\n

There was a minor hockey team from North Shore Winter Club clad in their jerseys checking out Bedard and his Chicago Blackhawks teammates at their morning skate Saturday morning in preparation for their matchup there with the Vancouver Canucks this evening. Bedard, 19, who\u2019s a NSWC product, took notice.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s cool,\u201d Bedard said. \u201cYou put yourself in those shoes when the NHL was just a dream and not a real reality. It\u2019s fun to see the excitement of people \u2026 not just for myself but for the game and the league that we\u2019re in.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s fun to look back and relieve those moments, for sure.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bedard was the first overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft and is in his second season with Chicago. He was supposed to make his inaugural Rogers Arena appearance with the Blackhawks last season in a Jan. 20 game against Vancouver, but broke his jaw in a Jan. 5 contest against the New Jerseys Devils on a bodycheck.<\/p>\n

The Blackhawks didn\u2019t play Friday and Bedard spent the day hanging out at his family\u2019s North Vancouver home.<\/p>\n

Bedard didn\u2019t say after the morning skate today how many friends and family he would have in attendance for the game tonight. He said with a smile that \u201cpeople do come out the woodwork a little bit trying to get tickets and stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n

He joked to reporters earlier in the week that he\u2019d \u201cbe paying to play for a night. But it\u2019ll be good to have some people there.\u201d<\/p>\n

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"I feel the same as any other game, to be honest. I'm excited my family gets to be here and they get to enjoy that."<\/p>\n

–Connor Bedard on playing in his hometown, with the Vancouver Canucks hosting the Blackhawks tonight pic.twitter.com\/bfDWxZfNgt<\/a><\/p>\n

— Phillip Thompson (@_phil_thompson) November 16, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n