Connor Bedard just scored his first NHL goal and TNT is ready to anoint him “The Next One”. After the 18-year-old phenom found the back of the net against the Boston Bruins on Wednesday, the national broadcast displayed a graphic titled “Chasing Greatness” showing Bedard’s career goal total compared to Wayne Gretzky’s.
Bedard is just 893 goals behind Gretzky for a share of the NHL’s top all-time goal record. There is definitely no other, actual chase involving Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin that is much further along.
Here’s the graphic as it showed up on TNT.
Connor Bedard is catching up to Wayne Gretzky pic.twitter.com/5FVDsTxf9J
— wow that was crazy (@CowardlyDoggo) October 12, 2023
Bedard potted his first career marker in his second career NHL game. That is quicker than Gretzky, Sidney Crosby, and Connor McDavid scored theirs. It is, however, not quicker than Ovechkin scored his.
Ovi scored twice in his first NHL game against the Columbus Blue Jackets all the way back on October 5, 2005. The Great Eight has 822 career goals, just 72 away from matching Gretzky’s 894.
Bedard scored his goal on a wraparound try assisted by Ryan Donato and Taylor Hall.
CONNOR BEDARD WITH HIS FIRST NHL GOAL 🥳🚨 pic.twitter.com/pQeHIDx7WO
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) October 11, 2023
Headline photo: Cara Bahniuk/RMNB
