The Chicago Blackhawks, like the rest of their city’s sports franchises, aren’t giving local fans much to cheer about this year. The Blackhawks haven’t had a winning season since 2019-20 and they’re 16-31-6 before their matchup on Friday night against the Nashville Predators.

Chicago Blackhawks star forward Connor Bedard addressed recent criticism from Mark Messier and Paul Bissonnette, making it clear that outside opinions don’t concern him. The Blackhawks are navigating another lost season, sitting second to last in the league standings with a paltry 15-34-7 record and 38 points, one more than the San Jose Sharks.

The Chicago Blackhawks are having another year of struggles and disappointments. They are sitting in last place in the Central Division with a record of 16-31-6. On top of their struggles as a team, they have a 19-year-old centre going through a slump.

With the 4 Nations Face-Off rapidly approaching, NHL fans are wondering whether Connor Bedard or any of his Chicago Blackhawks teammates are participating.

But when a team isn’t playing so great, those additional eyeballs and the big-picture focus that comes with national games and commentators can have a more negative effect. This year’s Winter Classic was a great example.

There never seems to be any shortage of controversy surrounding the Chicago Blackhawks. The latest is the national attention Connor Bedard has been receiving.