He attended the Stanley Cup final with other top draft hopefuls and was on the TNT broadcast alongside Gretzky. he can consistently play that high-character game.īedard has been on a whirlwind the last few weeks. “There’s a lot of words that start with ‘C’ that analytics can’t judge for you – like character,” Marr said of Bedard. 1 spot most years – including Canadian world junior teammate Adam Fantilli and Swedish forward Leo Carlsson. There’s so much chatter ahead of Bedard’s coronation that little oxygen has been offered some of the other big names – players likely be in the conversation for the No. He smashed tournament and national records, in the process passing names like Wayne Gretzky, Jaromir Jagr and Eric Lindros after filling opposition nets with a string of breathtaking, jaw-dropping performances in the biggest moments. 1, came at the 2023 world juniors in Halifax over the holiday season. “We’ll see what happens, but to be selected, that would be a huge honour.”īedard’s true breakout, when he all but announced to the hockey world he would be going No.
“The history of that organization, that city with sports would be unbelievable. “It’d be awesome,” Bedard said at a packed press conference of being chosen by the Original Six franchise. The North Vancouver, B.C., product declined Friday to compare himself to other players in this draft and talked how great it would be “if” he makes the NHL. The Chicago Blackhawks own the first pick at the draft June 28 and are a slam dunk to select the centre after waving goodbye to franchise icons and three-time Stanley Cup winners Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews this past season.īut the always-humble Bedard still isn’t letting his guard down. It just puts him in that special category.” And he’s been able to do that every outing, every event, almost every game that you’re at.
“It’s very difficult for the youngest player on any team to be the best player on the team. “We’ve focused on him for the last three years leading up to this event. “That generational-type player,” NHL Central Scouting director Dan Marr said. His 71 goals with the Regina Pats were the most by a WHLer in 24 years, while his 143 points represented a high-bar on the circuit since 1995-96. 1-ranked North American skater by NHL Central Scouting won back-to-back gold medals at the world junior hockey championship in August and January, dominated the Western Hockey League, and was, to put it bluntly, head-and-shoulders above the rest of his draft contemporaries.īedard, who turns 18 next month, was also named the Canadian Hockey League’s top prospect, top scorer and player of the year – a first in the same season. The most talked about prospect since Connor McDavid burst onto the scene in 2015, Bedard’s slow march to the draft in Nashville, Tenn., has included an eye-popping last 10 months. But I’m just trying to enjoy everything that goes along with it.” “Obviously, you want to see what happens and whatnot. “All of this, you’ve just got to take in and enjoy it. “This is our dream,” he said Friday at the league’s scouting combine. 1 pick climbs on stage and checks another box after hearing his name called first at the NHL draft, the 17-year-old phenom is doing his best to stay patient. With less than a month to go until the presumptive No. Connor Bedard has passed a lot of signposts this season.
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