Connor Bedard makes a large equipment change amidst goal drought

Connor Bedard has been in a goal drought, for exactly 7 games and it has caused him to go back to the drawing board.

The Chicago Blackhawks are 22-48-5 and will be taking on the hot, Dallas Stars tomorrow and will need all the help they can get. While Bedard always finds a way to contribute, with 4 assists in the last 5 games, he wants more.


He has resorted to trying different methods to score more goals, as he has plateaued at 21 goals this season. When I say plateaued, it's not mean definitively either.

I realize this is probably stuff only I care about, but Connor Bedard doesn't have the toe of his stick taped. He usually does.

He likes to experiment with different tape jobs at practice, but he hasn't scored in seven straight so maybe he's looking to change it up. #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/p0iEWdRz5v— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) April 5, 2024

To resurrect his scoring, he has resorted to taping his stick differently to see if it helps his game, and no one can fault him for trying new things to help.

Flexibility and reassessment can be useful, in any job you work and the fact he isn't single-minded regarding his tools can be helpful.

Tools are an extension of ourselves and our innovative nature as human beings. While it may be one thing he modifies, hopefully, it enables him to keep his points production going near the end of the season.

It seems Bedard, may be taking note from teammates who broke through goal droughts like Lukas Reichel, who changed the color of his tape, along with Andreas Athanasiou who did so.

Want more weird tape nuggets? I got you:

Lukas Reichel changed his tape from white to black in San Jose on March 23 because Andreas Athanasiou did too. They were both in goal droughts.

Reichel eventually broke through. Athanasiou is still searching for first goal. #Blackhawks— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) April 5, 2024

Connor Bedard may be in a goal-scoring drought, but he is a shoe-in for the Calder Trophy at the end of the season, with Brock Faber at his heels.

Connor Bedard has 58 points during the 2023-2024 NHL regular season, posting 21 goals and 31 assists.