Connor Bedard’s NHL Debut vs. Penguins Drew Massive Opening Night Audience on ESPN

Blackhawks rookie Connor Bedard made his NHL debut on Tuesday night in a 4-2 win against the Penguins. 

Bedard, who was playing against his hockey idol in Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby, recorded an assist in the nationally televised game. According to Front Office Sports, Bedard’s NHL debut drew an average viewership count of 1.43 million on ESPN, making it the most-watched regular-season NHL game ever on cable television, excluding the annual Winter Classic games. 

The hype surrounding the 18-year-old forward is immense, and hockey fans were eager to bear witness to his league debut. Bedard will be back on TV screens Wednesday night when Chicago takes on the Bruins, in a game that will be broadcast nationally on TNT.

In his debut, Bedard logged 21 minutes and 29 seconds of ice time, the most among Blackhawks forwards. He registered a team-high five shots on goal and recorded an assist on the team’s first goal of the season. As many young players do, he struggled in the faceoff circle, winning just two of 13 draws. 

Hockey fans will see plenty of Bedard during the opening month of the NHL season. Four of Chicago's first seven games are nationally televised, as the league puts the spotlight on its No. 1 pick at the start of his career.