Connor Bedard is usually one of the first players on the ice and one of the last players to leave when practice is over.

Chicago Blackhawks coaches hope star Connor Bedard — now in his second NHL season but still a teenager — shaves some of the ice time after practices.

Bedard is no longer the NHL’s novelty act, an object of curiosity. He’s 19 now. He’s got 68 NHL games under his belt. He’s scored 22 goals and handed out 39 assists — trailing only Crosby and McDavid in points per game as an 18-year-old. The curiosity now turns to San Jose’s Macklin Celebrini and Philadelphia ’s Matvei Michkov.

The Chicago Blackhawks look like a much better team ahead of Connor Bedard's second season. The Blackhawks finished last in the Central Division in each of the previous two years.

It’s always fun to get a glimpse of greatness lacing up the skates. It was interesting watching the next NHL superstar prospect walk out of the visiting dressing room for Monday night’s game — past two legends who were at this door for more than 30 years before he was even born.

Connor Bedard was pulling out all the stops for the Chicago Blackhawks’ season opener in Utah last night and that included attempting a Michigan on goalie Connor Ingram. The Hawks and its superstar player were down by one goal nearly halfway through the third period,