The chemistry is good again in Chicago: boy wonder Bedard is enthusiastic about Kurashev

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Philipp Kurashev laughed at himself mid-sentence. “It’s good to see these guys. It’s strange to even talk about it. It’s crazy, especially these 18 year olds. “I feel like I’m getting old,” the Bern resident told “The Athletic.” The Chicago forward is only 24, but is the Blackhawks’ longest-serving player after defenseman Connor Murphy. He is in his fourth season, has 201 NHL games (72 points) under his belt and won a contract with the league’s arbitration court in the summer that pays him $2.25 million per season.

One of his young teammates in particular is special: Connor Bedard. All eyes are on the Canadian, who is considered a generational talent. Chicago selected the center with the No. 1 pick in the draft this summer, sparking euphoria. The teenager has continued to find his feet in the NHL, not least since Kurashev was assigned to him. Bedard has scored seven of his nine goals in the last nine games.

Kurashev missed the start of the season due to a wrist injury and had the painful encounter with a jellyfish on the beach prior to the Florida Panthers game. The Nati attacker did not let the burn on his arm stop him. For him, it’s about taking advantage of the opportunity alongside the boy wonder and showing that he is a man for the first two front rows in the long term. He has scored ten points in ten games so far.

“The boys love playing with him”

“We’re getting used to each other,” he says about the line with Bedard and veteran Nick Foligno (36). “It’s working, hopefully we can keep it going.” He has to be able to expect to get the puck at any moment. “He sees things that others might not see. If I see a gap, all I have to do is drive into it and he’ll probably find me there.” It’s like the legend Patrick Kane, who he also played with.

Meanwhile, Bedard says of the Swiss: “He is really smart, he sees the game so well. He wants to win the puck and then quickly plays it out of the corner. He always sees where people are standing. This is impressive. It’s a lot of fun to play with him. We often talk on the couch. That promotes the chemistry between us.” Chicago could use good chemistry, as the team has been going downhill athletically since its last Stanley Cup win in 2015.

There is also praise from other quarters. “He’s not afraid to go into the hard zones,” Foligno told the Chicago Sun Times. “He’s still trying to figure out what kind of player he is. I think he realizes there are things he can do very well.” And coach Luke Richardson explains: “He plays correctly – all over the ice. The boys enjoy playing with him.” He also has the impression that the Swiss have become more confident.

Source : Blick