Connor Bedard Was a Huge Draw As a Rookie. Will His Star Power Rise?

Last season, Connor Bedard, one of the most-hyped prospects in all of sports, made his NHL debut after being selected by the Blackhawks with the No. 1 pick.

It ended up being one of the most successful rookie seasons in NHL history (at least since Connor McDavid’s rookie campaign in 2015–2016)—not only because Bedard led all rookies in goals (22) and points (61) despite missing 14 games, but because of the buzz he generated for the NHL and Blackhawks.

Bedard’s Impact

• Viewership: The NHL confirmed to Front Office Sports that viewership for nationally televised Blackhawks games was up 97% relative to the previous year. This included Bedard’s debut game against the Penguins that delivered 1.43 million viewers, making it the second-most-watched NHL regular-season game. NBC Sports Chicago, which shut down this week and will be replaced by the Chicago Sports Network, reported a 35% increase in viewership for Blackhawks games. 

• Tickets: The Blackhawks saw a 22% increase in tickets sold versus the previous season, despite winning three fewer games and finishing with the second-worst record in the league, a team spokesperson told FOS. This translated to the second-highest percent increase in attendance across the league, just behind the Panthers, winners of the Stanley Cup. The team also reported a 50% uptick in season-ticket holders for this season. When Chicago played on the road, its opponents saw a 15% attendance bump relative to its average attendance.

• Digital: Bedard’s debut game generated 300 million impressions across all social platforms, according to a Blackhawks spokesperson. Chicago also became the only NHL team to crack the top 50 North American sports brands in social following and engagement, according to analytics firm Blinkfire.

• Merchandise and sponsorship: The 19-year-old finished with the highest-selling jersey among all NHL players last year, according to Fanatics. The sports merchandise giant also announced Wednesday it became the sole distributor of Bedard’s official licensed memorabilia—a partnership that Fanatics has with several major athletes, including Tom Brady, Alex Ovechkin, and Victor Wembanyama. 

In June 2023, Bedard became the first NHL athlete to sign an apparel deal with Lululemon. He also signed a contract with Gatorade in July.