NHL Gets Slammed for 'Hiding' Connor Bedard

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TJ Tucker
October 23, 2023 (9:38 PM)

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Just a day after teammate Taylor Hall said he'd like to see members of the media back off of Connor Bedard, a reporter is taking the NHL to task for not making the young star available in Toronto.

There was no pre-game access to Bedard on Monday before the Chicago Blackhawks game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Post-game access was also denied, with the Blackhawks apparently telling reporters he didn't score any points in the 4-1 victory, so it wouldn't make sense. Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun doesn't like that at all.

"I covered hundreds of games Wayne Gretzky played, especially early in his career, and no one ever hid him from the cameras, even when he had nothing to say. I covered Mario Lemieux's rookie appearance in the NHL all-star game, where he won the MVP, and much as Lemieux would have loved to have spent his entire career never doing a single interview, he came to the podium that day. My first exposure to Sidney Crosby in any meaningful way came at the Memorial Cup in London, Ont. He only did interviews in days ending in Y...."

"Bedard doesn't seem fazed by it. The Blackhawks need to be less fazed themselves. There are times and places to hide Bedard after a win. Toronto on Monday wasn't one of them." - Steve Simmons

While Simmons has been covering the Maple Leafs for years, he certainly doesn't have a good rapport with every player. In fact, Simmons and Toronto Star Auston Matthews have butted heads a few times during media availability. Simmons' opinion on "hiding" Bedard is not receiving a universally positive response.

"The Leafs did it for Matthews entire first season, it's pretty smart I think."

"Not silly, keeping him away from pathetic Toronto media and answering their idiotic questions makes perfect sense."

"What's the matter old Stevie? Mad you couldn't ask a passive aggressive d--k head question?" - Responses on X

Simmons contends keeping Bedard away from reporters is no way to grow the game, pointing to the NBA and LeBron James. Simmons said James does media interviews almost every day of his life, and that's why he's one of the most popular athletes on the planet.