Connor Bedard reacted to the criticism he is receiving for the Chicago Blackhawks' poor performance in the 2024-25 NHL season and sent a strong message to various analysts, including legend Mark Messier.

There is a fair criticism that Bedard could be better at managing his shift times. He’s tied for eighth in the league with 58 seconds per shift. He had nine shifts of a minute or more against the Oilers.

Bedard made some ill-advised passes Wednesday against the Oilers, and TNT analyst Paul Bissonnette called them out. There were grounds for that, but it's important to remember that Bedard is still only 19 — and his play is scrutinized more closely than arguably anyone else in the NHL.

Bedard notched a power-play assist, three shots on goal and four PIM in Wednesday's 4-3 overtime loss to the Oilers. Bedard helped out on a Ryan Donato tally in the third period. The 19-year-old Bedard continues to offer consistent offense with points in eight of his last 10 outings,