‘He’s incredible’: Bedard once again turning heads at Canada’s world junior camp | 24CA News
Connor Bedard’s spotlight reel has been arduous to overlook.
Already the presumptive first general choice on the 2023 NHL draft, the 17-year-old phenom with a bullet shot and a capability to make the puck appear to be it’s on a string — typically leaving defenders chasing shadows and goaltenders wanting silly — has taken his sport to new heights this season.
Video of his jaw-dropping talent splashes throughout social media on what looks like a near-daily foundation. And there’s nearly definitely going to be extra viral clips when Bedard takes centre stage with Canada on the 2023 world junior hockey championship later this month.
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His exploits have additionally already entered the NHL dialog.
“We have guys in the Kings dressing room talking about him like, ‘You get to play with Bedard kid,”’ mentioned Canadian defenceman Brandt Clarke, who was loaned to the lads’s under-20 nationwide staff by Los Angeles for the match.
“I’m not going to name anybody.”
So, was the teammate in query Kings defenceman and famous hockey geek Drew Doughty?
“(He) did say that, actually,” Clarke, 19, added with amusing. “(Bedard’s) already getting that kind of recognition.”
With good motive.
Coming off a 51-goal, 100-point efficiency at age 16 for the Western Hockey League’s Regina Pats in 2021-22, the silky clean centre from North Vancouver, B.C., has gone next-level this season.
Bedard was held off the scoresheet in Regina’s opener, however has scored 27 occasions and added 37 assists since as a part of an outrageous 27-game level streak.
Before becoming a member of up with Canada, which will likely be searching for its twentieth gold medal when the world juniors open Dec. 26 in Halifax and Moncton, Bedard had 5 factors in an 8-2 victory final weekend.
Canadian world junior hopeful and Seattle Thunderbirds goaltender Thomas Milic was requested about Bedard’s shot.
Turns out he has first-hand expertise from the WHL this season.
“It’s pretty, pretty, pretty good,” the 19-year-old mentioned with a smile. “There’s a picture online where the shot was taken and I’m still looking for it and it goes right by me.
“Hopefully that one doesn’t circulate too much.”
During one on-ice session in Moncton, a easy rush drill noticed Bedard effortlessly accumulate a wayward move by drawing the puck between his legs as much as his stick with out breaking stride — certainly one of numerous delicate moments that really feel atypical, however definitely aren’t.
Shane Wright, the No. 4 decide by the Seattle Kraken on the 2022 draft, mentioned Bedard has teammates in awe.
“Such a good player, but you’d never know,” mentioned the 18-year-old centre, who was additionally loaned to Canada for the match. “Such a down-to-earth guy and such a fun guy to be around.
“He cares about taking care of himself properly and cares about his game. We see the talent on ice, we see the moves he makes and all the clips, but there’s so much that he does off camera — behind the scenes — that allows him to be that good and be that successful. He’s incredible.”
One of 10 returning gamers from Canada’s gold-medal successful roster that received the reimagined August world juniors pushed again eight months following a sequence of COVID-19 outbreaks that shelved final yr’s occasion, Bedard is a lock after working arduous to earn a spot 12 months in the past.
But he taking nothing as a right.
“Always want to come in with that tryout mentality,” mentioned Bedard, the primary participant granted distinctive standing to play within the WHL a yr early at age 15. “Still trying to prove myself and show everyone here what I can do.”
What he’s completed over the previous couple of years — Bedard even travelled to Sweden in the course of the pandemic to coach and discover video games when the WHL shuttered operations — is show a drive and willpower that mirrors his skills.
“A player that wowed us last Christmas, a player that wowed us in the summer,” mentioned James Boyd, a member of Canada’s administration group. “He’s got the game-changing ability. What’s exciting is that he’s a better player now.”
Director of participant personnel Alan Millar mentioned the following step is honing his play with out the puck.
“When you get into those key games, matchups are important,” Millar mentioned. “The offence and a skill, we all know. But I think you’ll see a young man whose game has matured and is that much more complete.”
While that’s been a degree of emphasis, Bedard is doing his finest to maintain draft discuss at arms size.
“You have such a big focus on winning,” he mentioned. “That’s outside noise. I’m so focused on the room with the Pats and here with the Team Canada.
“It’s pretty easy to block that stuff out.”
Adam Fantilli, a freshman ahead on the University of Michigan anticipated to be within the dialog for the No. 2 spot on the draft, and Bedard are pals off the ice.
The pair watched Regina’s sport Friday when Fantilli couldn’t get Michigan’s matchup towards Michigan State on his laptop computer.
“Great guy,” Fantilli mentioned.
“It’s kind of funny when people put us against each other,” Bedard added. “We joked about it a bit, but we’re both cheering for each other and now we’re on the same team.”
Hockey’s subsequent massive expertise — Bedard has been in comparison with Connor McDavid by way of what he may do to change an NHL’s franchise future — is simply getting began.
And already a giant speaking level throughout the game.
“He’s as advertised,” Clarke mentioned. “He’s so smart with the puck, his released is unmatched.
“I’m really looking forward to the rest of his career.”
The subsequent step is making an attempt to safe one other gold on dwelling soil.
This report by The Canadian Press was first printed Dec. 10, 2022.
