Bedard, Crosby take face-off to start Blackhawks-Penguins season opener

PITTSBURGH — Connor Bedard not only played against Sidney Crosby in his NHL debut Tuesday, his first seconds of regular-season action came against his childhood idol.

Bedard, the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, took the opening face-off against Crosby, the No. 1 pick in the 2005 NHL Draft, at PPG Paints Arena.

When asked Monday if he was planning on having Crosby start the game against Bedard, Penguins coach Mike Sullivan was not tipping his hand, saying, “We’re going to start the guys who give us the best chance to win,” but he knows this is something special.

“These two guys are for all intents and purposes, part of the face of the NHL,” Sullivan said. “Sid for sure is, having been the ambassador for the League for almost two decades now, and a young player in Bedard that has an exciting and optimistic future as a star in this league. That’s a great narrative, it’s one that should be celebrated. These guys are terrific players in their own right, they’re terrific people, so I understand the conversation that goes around that.”

Bedard led the Western Hockey League in goals (71), points (143), shots on goal (360), points per game (2.51) and goals per game (1.25) in 57 regular-season games with Regina last season.

Crosby has 1,502 points (550 goals, 952 assists) in 1,190 NHL games with Pittsburgh. The Penguins captain since May 31, 2007, Crosby won the Stanley Cup with them in 2009, 2016 and 2017. He’s won a host of individual awards, including the Conn Smythe Trophy as most valuable player of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2016 and 2017 and the Hart Trophy as the League’s most valuable player of the regular season in 2007 and 2014.

Bedard and Crosby got some extended time to talk to each other at the NHL Player Media Tour in Las Vegas last month. The 18-year-old admires plenty about Crosby, including how he handles himself off the ice.

“Just the way he interacts with everyone,” Bedard said Tuesday. “He’s such a good role model for kids and the hockey community itself. Getting to spend a little time with him, just seeing how much time he takes for everyone and treats everyone with respect, and he just seems like an amazing person. Of course, what he does on the ice is remarkable, top-five player of all time probably but off the ice, it’s just as remarkable to see what he does.”