Far too early prediction of Bedard to become face of the league

[AmeriHab]

He'll have to live up to expectations but will Bedard become the face of the league sooner than later. Bedard will usher in thr next era where he's a household name despite McDavid is currently a head above the rest but the NHL always poorly marketed to the casual fan.

McDavid hasn't had the personality to take the keys to the league and still feels like the Crosby/Ovi Era. Once they're gone, I think it'll turn to Bedard and McDavid quietly puts up huge seasons

Click to read more...

 

[Three On Zero]

He'll have to live up to expectations but will Bedard become the face of the league sooner than later. Bedard will usher in thr next era where he's a household name despite McDavid is currently a head above the rest but the NHL always poorly marketed to the casual fan.

McDavid hasn't had the personality to take the keys to the league and still feels like the Crosby/Ovi Era. Once they're gone, I think it'll turn to Bedard and McDavid quietly puts up huge seasons

Depends on Bedard’s demeanour hopefully he isn’t another bland star. I can see the league trying to do McDavid VS. Bedard storyline once the Ovi/Crosby scenario is done

 

[wetcoast]

Ironic this thread is started on a day he went donut with a minus 5 on the statline, although was great in the faceoff circle but 2nd game in 2 nights.

He will be fine but not sure face of the league that quickly.

 

[Aaaaaaaaaaaaa]

He'll have to live up to expectations but will Bedard become the face of the league sooner than later. Bedard will usher in thr next era where he's a household name despite McDavid is currently a head above the rest but the NHL always poorly marketed to the casual fan.

McDavid hasn't had the personality to take the keys to the league and still feels like the Crosby/Ovi Era. Once they're gone, I think it'll turn to Bedard and McDavid quietly puts up huge seasons

The NHL will continue as usual, no matter how good he does. Why?

Because he is already a household name in Canada, and he never will be in the USA outside of hockey cities anyway. This is the nature of our sport, and likely always will be.

 

[Hank Plank]

Alrighty then.

 

[Three On Zero]

The NHL will continue as usual, no matter how good he does. Why?

Because he is already a household name in Canada, and he never will be in the USA outside of hockey cities anyway. This is the nature of our sport, and likely always will be.

It’s funny how Canadian born players who play in the US get far more exposure than Canadian born players playing in Canada

 

[GOilers88]

Interesting how people always complain that NHL stars are too bland, boring, and poorly marketed.

Maybe guys like McDavid and Crosby are content with their hundreds of millions of dollars and don't want to be anymore under a microscope than they already are? With the way people are now, and social media, I sure as shit wouldn't want to be out there all the time for everything. Seems like society loves nothing more than to build up stars just so they can tear them down.

If Bedard doesn't live up to this ungodly hype of basically the next best hockey player of all time, lots of the folks who hyped him will be the first ones yelling "bust".

 

[Grinner]

That would have a better chance if it's Chicago winning the brass ring

 

[Aashir Mallik]

I doubt he does it first year, he’s projecting to be a star in his first year though

But by year three he should be challenging the best player in the league, which is mcdavid. Mcdavid did the same to Crosby at the time.

 

[Siludin]

Based on interviews he does seem to have some jam to his personality, but I think the way hockey lineups and lockerooms work, being an exuberant personality rubs teammates the wrong way (even if it's only a minority of teammates) such that it actually works against the player when trying to self-promote too much - at least through the pundit-media channels.
Most hockey players are happy to sign endorsement deals and let that be that.

 

[Aaaaaaaaaaaaa]

It’s funny how Canadian born players who play in the US get far more exposure than Canadian born players playing in Canada

I don't know if you are American or not, and I'm not saying this to be smug, but a little explanation about why that is, and will most likely always be (at least in the forseeable future). It is about our culture...

1. We (and I say "we" as a general term meaning most Canadians) don't care if Americans know who our players are or not. There are no great big Canadian corporations trying to sell Canadian faces to Americans. Most of us care very little if the game grows elsewhere.

2. Great Canadian players who can rely on careers in hockey are rarely interested in being famous. They like getting paid to play or coach hockey, but do you think Connor McDavid really wants LeBron or Mahomes type fame? He does not. I can assure you he does not spend one second thinking about his "career" outside of hockey. When he retires, he will be a coach, commentator, or do guest spots on game nights here and there. He will not be selling clothing lines or pushing his social media. He may just golf and fish. That is just how most hockey players are. They will do some smaller endorsement deals, usually resentfully, but for a few extra bucks it's fine. I know people HATE it when I say things like that, but I have been neck deep in the sport my entire life, and it has a culture in Canada that people would not understand unless they were Canadians. That is not a slight, it is just a reality. I assume like Texans and football have a culture I would not understand.

 

[Hank Plank]

I love the fact that NHL players are generally not social media attention whores.

 

[castle]

I love the fact that NHL players are generally not social media attention whores.

Indeed. Although troubadour did try to launch his own Jacob Trouba app. I wonder if it's still a thing

 

[GeeoffBrown]

I think it depends where Bedard ends up.

 

[Aaaaaaaaaaaaa]

I love the fact that NHL players are generally not social media attention whores.

That makes two of us.

 

[ricky0034]

That would have a better chance if it's Chicago winning the brass ring

yeah as far as being a "household name" goes it certainly doesn't help that McDavid is in Edmonton

if Bedard ends up in like Columbus or Arizona that's probably a little better but not by much

 

[Soundwave]

There are no hockey players who are "household" names in the US.

There's only one and that was Gretzky and Gretzky had that status even before he ever went to LA.

Gretzky is just a one off marketing fluke for the NHL that fit the 1980s well.

The average US sports fans doesn't know who Sidney Crosby is, or Connor McDavid ... not even Patrick Kane.

And Patrick Kane should be a slam dunk ... lets look at it ... no.1 overall? Check. Plays in a huge US market? Chicago, uh yeah (apparently some guy named Jordan did pretty good there). US born? Yup. Pretty good personality? Actually yes. Won multiple championships (Cups)? Yup.

And still nothing. When Gatorade runs its athlete montage commercials in the US, they cut Sidney Crosby out of them because no one knows who he is, lol, it's only for Canada that they make a version with him spliced into the commercial with the other athletes (football, basketball, tennis, etc. stars) because in Canada people know Crosby.

A guy like Zion Williamson in the NBA who's done nothing in the NBA really is more famous and more of a household name than any NHL player. Some female athletes like a Venus Williams is light years more of a household name than any hockey player probably even including Gretzky.

 

[Jumptheshark]

Who is the Face of the nhl stateside right now?

 

[Tofveve]

His size is a bit concerning. Will he be more than an Eberle? Will be interesting to see.

 

[TheBeard]

I don’t think it’s unreasonable to think that if he goes to the right situation he could score 104 goals his first season.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

Interesting how people always complain that NHL stars are too bland, boring, and poorly marketed.

Maybe guys like McDavid and Crosby are content with their hundreds of millions of dollars and don't want to be anymore under a microscope than they already are? With the way people are now, and social media, I sure as shit wouldn't want to be out there all the time for everything. Seems like society loves nothing more than to build up stars just so they can tear them down.

If Bedard doesn't live up to this ungodly hype of basically the next best hockey player of all time, lots of the folks who hyped him will be the first ones yelling "bust".

They're boring AF but I'm glad they're not caught on video with a gun.

 

[Three On Zero]

Who is the Face of the nhl stateside right now?

Crosby was the most searched player in 2022

 

[PizzaAndPucks]

It's gonna be hard to surpass McDavid but this kid in my eyes is a lock to be a megastar in this league. He has the skating ability , hands , vision , passing and what sunrises me the most is how great his shot is. He's the best prospect since McDavid. He's torching every league/tournament he plays in. I think he steps in as a 60 - 75 point player as a rookie but explodes in his 2nd or 3rd year and contends with McDavid for the point scoring lead.

 

[EdJovanovski]

Kravtsov is the next face of the league

 

[Three On Zero]

Kravtsov is the next face of the league

Not anymore now that he’s a Canuck