Amid solidifying Connor Bedard as a Chicago Blackhawk from Tuesday's NHL draft, the current superstars of the league kindly welcomed him to the pros.
Bedard mentioned the big names who reached out, including his childhood idol and a former Blackhawk.
"I got a text from Sidney Crosby so that was pretty cool," Bedard said. "(He was) my favorite player growing up. He's one of the best to ever do it so I was pretty excited there."
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Reminder: The Blackhawks open the 2023-24 season against the Pittsburgh Penguins. It's possible Bedard's first action on the ice as a pro is a faceoff against his childhood idol.
Another prominent NHL figure who reached out to Bedard is one of Chicago's very own, Patrick Kane.
Bedard and Kane spent time together at the Biosteel hockey camp. There, Bedard acted as a sponge, soaking in any information he could from arguably the league's greatest American player in history.
What did Bedard learn from Kane?
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"Just kinda watching him prepare and work on the ice and off the ice. Just seeing his dedication. He's a hell of a player," Bedard said.