Connor Bedard in good palms with Blackhawks coach Luke Richardson

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Chicago Blackhawks head coach Luke Richardson will probably be retaining a detailed eye on Connor Bedard this season — each on and off the ice.

Richardson and Bedard — the No. 1 total choose at this 12 months’s NHL Draft — reside in the identical condo constructing in downtown Chicago.

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Richardson just lately instructed reporters in Chicago a comic story about Bedard discovering a spot to dwell in Chicago after talking together with his mother and father.

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“I discussed they have been going to maneuver into the identical condo constructing I used to be in. His mother went: ‘Effectively, we don’t wish to get too far forward. He’s bought to make the crew,” Richardson mentioned with a chuckle. “I type of checked out her and mentioned: ‘I believe you’ll be able to take a look at this. He’ll be OK.’ So he did transfer in.

“Hopefully, he feels extra snug,” Richardson added. “He has one teammate in there (Taylor Raddysh) and myself. So if he ever wants something it’s a household and we’re there for one another.”

The Blackhawks practised Friday afternoon on the CN Sports activities Complicated in Brossard forward of Saturday evening’s sport towards the Canadiens on the Bell Centre. After observe, Richardson was requested extra in regards to the condo constructing the place he and the 18-year-old Bedard reside and the coach shared one other comic story.

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“We now have Complete Meals (grocery story) beneath,” Richardson mentioned. “I had the cart (just lately) and I went up behind him and I used to be pushing it towards his again. In downtown Chicago I may see him stepping to the aspect and he felt uncomfortable. Then he began to look … I pushed somewhat more durable and he moved once more. Then lastly he rotated with large huge eyes and he noticed me and he simply smiled. I mentioned: ‘Welcome to the constructing.’”

Richardson mentioned Bedard’s mom helped him arrange his new condo and that his mother and father will probably be “out and in” to go to him this season as {the teenager} adjusts to life within the NHL. Bedard had a objective and an help in Chicago’s first two video games earlier than dealing with the Canadiens.

“He’s nonetheless a younger man and it’s an enormous metropolis, however we all the time provide something we are able to and our group is top-notch with that with any type of assist that’s wanted,” Richardson mentioned. “He has all the assistance that he wants, and Taylor Raddysh lives within the constructing as nicely, so he’s bought a teammate in there and a pair (others) shut by. I believe my spouse bumped into him within the elevator just a few occasions. She appears to be on the identical schedule. I am going in (to the rink) too early as a coach.

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“It’s a fantastic constructing,” Richardson added. “It’s model new. It’s bought Complete Meals in it. (Former Blackhawk) Patrick Kane mentioned he used to buy there. He lived a few blocks away and mentioned he by no means bought bothered, so it’s a great spot for him.”

Richardson and Bedard each confronted massive media scrums after Friday’s observe. Richardson is aware of the Brossard observe rink nicely since he was an assistant coach with the Canadiens for 4 seasons earlier than changing into head coach of the Blackhawks final 12 months.

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“He’s simply actually understanding with the whole lot,” Bedard mentioned about Richardson. “He doesn’t actually get too mad at you in the event you make a mistake. He lets us all play. Clearly, there’s a construction that we wish to play. However simply the liberty to attempt to make performs and type of incorporate my sport into what we wish to do I believe has been actually nice for myself. He’s simply made the transition rather a lot simpler. He’s been nice. I actually like having him as a coach and we’re all actually fortunate.”

Within the ebook former Canadiens gear supervisor Pierre Gervais wrote, titled Tales From the Dressing Room, he wrote in regards to the gamers being a lot nearer with Richardson as an assistant coach than they have been with former head coach Dominique Ducharme. Gervais wrote that Ducharme by no means “misplaced the room” as a result of he by no means actually had it and that the ambiance within the locker room “modified fully from at some point to the subsequent” when Martin St. Louis took over as head coach.

“I believe he’s only a actually good coach basically,” the Canadiens’ Brendan Gallagher mentioned about Richardson Friday. “Whether or not it’s a participant like Connor — additionally they have (38-year-old former Canadien) Corey Perry — I believe he’s only a good coach for everybody. He understands the sport, he performed the sport for a extremely very long time. He’s bought the respect of his locker room immediately and he’s an actual likable individual that you just wish to work for. So everybody who’s had him as a coach has nothing however good issues to say.

“You would like him the most effective and I’m trying ahead to seeing him.”

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