Chicago Blackhawks generational talent Connor Bedard will always have to play up to huge expectations after getting drafted with a first-overall pick and winning the Calder Trophy as the NHL's top rookie.
This year, however, hasn't started so nicely for the 19-year-old as he's confronting the challenges of the feared "sophomore slump."
With just three goals in 20 games this season, the Blackhawks' star center has not scored in 11 games, his last goal coming on Oct. 26 against the Dallas Stars.
"I could name 100 things [I could do better]," Bedard said Friday, via ESPN's Greg Wyshynski. "I don't know, man. It has been frustrating, for sure. I just don't feel like I'm really doing anything.
"So just keep chipping away at it, I guess, and hopefully find my game again."
Despite contributing 12 assists this season, Bedard's goal drought has mirrored the struggles of the Blackhawks, who are tied for the NHL's worst points percentage (.375) with a 7-12-1 record and have the second-fewest goals scored this season (48) only ahead of the Nashville Predators (46).
Bedard acknowledged the difficulty of maintaining confidence these days as he keeps trying to find the bottom of the net.
"It's been a tough stretch," Bedard said. "You just feel like you don't have it or whatever, and you lose a bit of confidence. And it just kind of goes on."
Last season, Bedard led Chicago with 22 goals and 39 assists even though he missed 14 games because of a broken jaw in January.
This year, however, Bedard has tried to enlarge his role a bit by focusing on adapting his game to contribute on both defense and offense, while also moving to the wing of late instead of playing center.
"I'm not doing much offensively at all, so I've got to find a different way to be productive," Bedard said. "That was obviously different for me, but it's good to do that. It's a lot less work than at center. It's just about positioning and knowing where to be."
The Blackhawks will face the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday with the possibility of starting to separate from the bottom of the Western Conference.
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