Connor Bedard said that his six-year-old self would have been "pretty fired up" to know that this day has come.
"It's really special," the 18-year-old forward said after the Blackhawks' morning skate at PPG Paints Arena on Tuesday. "You think about getting up early, going to practice when you're five, six years old and all that lead up to a moment like this. It's pretty incredible."
That moment will come at 8:12 tonight when the puck drops for the season opener between the Blackhawks and Penguins. Bedard, the first overall pick in this summer's draft and a potential generational talent, will make his NHL debut for the Blackhawks.
Asked how he slept last night ahead of such a big moment, Bedard said, "Like a baby."
That doesn't mean that there aren't nerves, though.
"Not too many right now, I think yesterday I was really nervous," Bedard said. "Today I feel fine. Tonight, I'm sure there'll be some butterflies. ... For me, I don't want to start the game being starstruck or anything. I kind of want the warm up and anthem and everything to be that moment for me, and then once the game starts to be like games I've played in the past. I want to be the best version of myself and we want to win."
Bedard was asked if the debuts of other No. 1 overall picks have created any pressure on him to match that level in his first game, and he said that it hasn't. He hasn't even looked into what other No. 1 overall picks have done in their debuts, with the exception of Auston Matthews' memorable four-goal game against the Senators in 2016.
"I haven't looked at any," Bedard said. "Obviously you see Matthews and stuff, but I'm sure there have been a couple that didn't score four goals. I'm just going to go play and try to be the best version of myself not try to be anyone else."
That doesn't mean that Bedard doesn't try to look up to some of those past top picks. He'll likely be looking right at one of them -- his childhood idol, no less -- when he lines up for his first faceoff Tuesday night.
Bedard said that what Sidney Crosby still is able to do on the ice is "remarkable," and called him a probably top-5 player in league history. But it's how Crosby is off the ice that really catches Bedard's attention. The two got to know each other at the BioSteel Camp for top NHL players over the summer, and also at the NHL's media day last month in Las Vegas.
"Just the way he interacts with everyone," Bedard said of what he admires about Crosby. "He's such a good role model for kids and the hockey community in itself. Getting to spend a lot of time with him, just seeing how much time he takes for everyone and he treats everyone with respect. He just seems like an amazing person."
Bedard is the latest player to be referred to as "the next Crosby" as a potential generational talent. And as Crosby said last week, he's just fine with that.
"I'll take it as a compliment." Crosby said. "You know, I think it's just one of those things where I can relate to it. As a young player, I had players that I was compared to, so I think I can relate to that. I'll definitely take that."
Crosby said that he doesn't want to give any predictions for Bedard's rookie season and put those expectations on him, but he's impressed with what he's seen so far.
"I think he's a really good player," Crosby said of Bedard. "I think he's going to get a really good opportunity there to be one of the guys if not the guy. Especially early on, I think that helps with your confidence, getting those opportunities. He's been up for every challenge up to this point, I wouldn't expect it to be any different when he gets to the NHL. I think he'll have a great year."
