For many Blackhawks, heading outside for the Winter Classic conjures memories of skating on frozen ponds and backyard rinks as kids in Canada, Finland, the northeastern United States or elsewhere.
But for Vancouver native Connor Bedard — the very reason why the NHL wanted the Hawks in this event this year — it doesn’t. The Hawks’ outdoor practice Monday at Wrigley Field before the game Tuesday against the Blues was one of the first times he had skated outside.
‘‘It doesn’t really get that cold [in Vancouver],’’ Bedard said. ‘‘A couple of times, [we] drove up to Whistler.’’
Bedard has mastered the art of deflecting hype, but he admitted this Winter Classic is ‘‘one of the coolest experiences of my life so far, and the game hasn’t even started yet.’’ Although skating outside might not bring back many childhood memories in his case, it still fuels a sense that this is the way hockey is meant to be played.
‘‘When you first get out on the ice with open air, it does get your lungs a little bit,’’ captain Nick Foligno said. ‘‘Then all of a sudden it lets go, and you feel like you can play forever. By the end of . . . practice, I was like, ‘I want to stay out here for hours.’ ’’
Bedard unquestionably will be the featured attraction and focal point of the game, both on TNT’s broadcast and in person at Wrigley.
There will be countless graphics, iso-cams, analyses, anecdotes and more. The crowd will roar twice as loud for his entrance than for anyone else’s. And if he scores, the highlight will be included in Bedard montages for years, just like Sidney Crosby’s shootout goal in 2008.
Bedard’s parents and sister got to skate with him on the Wrigley rink Monday — he quipped that his mom, Melanie, has ‘‘an ugly stride’’ — and his grandparents and cousins also are flying in.
While the Classic comes at an unfortunate time for the Hawks as a team, considering how poorly they’ve played recently, it’s relatively good timing for Bedard individually. He has played much better since interim coach Anders Sorensen took over.
Bedard has 13 points (including six goals) in 11 games under Sorensen and will enter the Classic on a four-game point streak. His surge has eased concerns about stagnating development, which arose when he had only 12 points (including only four goals) in his last 21 games under former coach Luke Richardson.
‘‘I don’t know if I’ve been on a run,’’ Bedard said. ‘‘This is more what I am as a player. It’s about how much I’m creating and how many plays I’m making, and I feel like I’ve been doing that pretty well. Obviously, you want the points to come. They don’t always, but hopefully they do.’’
It’s going to be awhile until Bedard is featured on the NHL’s biggest stage: the playoffs. Until then, the league is going to all lengths to capitalize on his popularity in other ways.
He was hockey’s version of Taylor Swift at the NHL Draft in 2023 and during the Hawks’ road trip to Pittsburgh, Boston, Montreal and Toronto to begin his NHL career last season. Personally, he thinks the 2023 world junior championships in Nova Scotia are the biggest stage he has played on. Even his homecoming game with the Hawks last month in Vancouver became a ballyhooed event, even though it turned into a disappointment.
This Classic, however, marks another milestone on Bedard’s road from celebrity prospect to NHL superstar. That’s what he and the Hawks are hoping for, at least.
‘‘It’s all just part of the journey and part of growing and learning how to deal with attention,’’ linemate Taylor Hall said. ‘‘Obviously, he’s got a lot of it. You can’t really mature and grow and get used to the spotlight until you’re in it and you’re doing stuff, and this is a big steppingstone.’’