Chicago Blackhawks coach blasted for not defending Connor Bedard

Anders Sorensen sat idle as Connor Bedard took a physical beating during the Chicago Blackhawks‘ 5-3 loss Wednesday night to the New Jersey Devils in front of 17,813 fans at the United Center. The loss was the Blackhawks’ eighth defeat in nine contests during a difficult period in March for the team and Bedard.

The highlight of the night came in the second period when Devils defenseman Simon Nemec started beating up on Bedard. Video posted by @BlackhawksFocus shows Nemec repeatedly trying to shove Bedard’s upper body and head area to the ice.

Chicago’s left winger Landon Slaggert was given a penalty for shoving Nemec when he defended the second-year centre. Nemec received no penalty for his abuse of Bedard.

Nemec and Bedard get tangled up. Landon Slaggert then comes in to exchange shoves with Nemec and gets a penalty pic.twitter.com/DGwFf8SPzp

— BHF (@BlackhawksFocus) March 27, 2025

Chicago Blackhawks coach didn’t defend Connor Bedard

Sorensen chose not to argue with the officiating crew of referees Jean Hebert and Trevor Hanson and linesmen Brad Kovachik and Jonathan Deschamps.

Per Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times, Sorenson explained why he didn’t defend Bedard or call for Nemec to receive a penalty for his aggression toward Bedard. The referees didn’t call a penalty on Nemec because they claimed Bedard was holding Nemec’s stick.

“I just don’t know what to gain out of it,” Sorensen said to reporters postgame “[The referees have] made their call; they’re probably not going to change it. You can try to talk to them in TV timeouts to get an explanation that way instead. Coming across yelling is probably not going to help the situation, right? [I] try to build a relationship and talk to them. I think that will go a longer way down the road.”

Anders Sorensen said the referees said Bedard was holding Nemec’s stick on that play, thus the lack of penalty.

I asked him why he’s not more vocal toward refs in these kinds of situations:

“I just don’t know what to gain out of it. They’ve made their call; they’re probably…

— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) March 27, 2025

Blackhawks fans didn’t like Sorensen’s answer

Bedard has received two misconduct penalties in March for jawing with officials. That might have factored into Sorensen’s choice to argue Wednesday night. Still, fans on social media believed the interim head coach needed to stick up for the young Blackhawks star.

“this team badly needs a real nhl head coach,” wrote a fan.

“Grow a pair and flip a table sometime dude you lost the locker room,” suggested a fan.

“Longer way down the road” buddy you got 19 days left. Tell the refs where they can line up in their self made human centipede,” posted another.

“Also ‘ building a relationship’ with the refs isn’t going anywhere so far cause they still make bad calls against us, especially against Bedard. At first, I wanted us to keep him, but I see what other fans are saying we need a more passionate & vocal coach,” believes a fan.

“You don’t bark at an official to get him to change that call. You do it to 1. Stand up for your players, especially your 19 year old face of the franchise. 2. To influence future calls. If you don’t get any flack going against a team, they keep doing it,” wrote a fan.

“I mean he’s not wrong but there’s also a need to balance that and the intensity with your team. Show a little life and fire and maybe the players do as well,” argued another.

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