The attendant whirlwind of attention comes with being a true prodigy. North Vancouver-product Connor Bedard of the Regina Pats is considered a generational talent and the consensus top overall pick for the 2023 NHL draft. All the Pats’ games through their Western Hockey League sa国际传媒 Division swing are sold out, including tonight against the Victoria Royals at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre.
“It’s been a few years for myself with stuff like this. Whatever you’re doing a lot, you get used to it. I feel a little more comfortable [with it],” said Bedard, during a scrum with the Lower Mainland sports media, ahead of Friday night’s game against the Vancouver Giants at the Langley Events Centre.
“It’s really exciting with a lot of family and friends,” added the 17-year-old Bedard.
“I’m pretty pumped. It’s exciting for our whole team. There’s a lot of energy playing in front of those [many] people. You build off that energy. People screaming at you. It’s lots of fun.”
Bedard said he isn’t focused on the draft: “We have only played 20 games or so and there’s a long way to go. Focus on what we’re doing with the Pats.”
Even prodigies feel they need to improve, especially if you’re a generous five-foot-10 and 185 pounds and rely on your wiles and innate talent rather than size.
“I feel like I’m getting better overall in a 200-foot, complete game, penalty kills and face-offs,” said Bedard. “Every area [to] get better. Lot of creativity, trying new moves or whatever, shooting off weird angles. If you do that, you’re a lot harder to defend. Speed, first three steps. I can work on everything, for sure.”
Preparing for what’s ahead, Bedard works out in the off-season with NHL players: “You learn so much from them. You see their work ethic and mind set, their recovery and preparation.”
Bedard said Mathew Barzal of Coquitlam, a star forward with the New York Islanders, is the NHL player he has the most in common with: “We text each other and stuff. He’s been a really good role model. He was first overall pick coming out of the Dub and he’s given me a lot of good advice.”
Bedard’s sa国际传媒 roots show in other ways, as well.
“I try to watch as many [Canucks] games as I can. Obviously, a big fan since I was a kid.”
Bedard became the youngest WHL player to hit the century mark when he recorded 100 points last season, including 50 goals, as a rookie. He leads in all categories this season with 48 points on 19 goals and 29 assists heading into Friday night. Unlike basketball, however, one player alone can’t lift a hockey team beyond a team’s natural limits in other areas. Even with Bedard, the Pats missed the playoffs last season and are only 9-11-2 this season heading into Friday. With the lowly Royals at 3-16-3, tonight is hardly a marquee match-up other than the presence of Bedard.
Missing the WHL playoffs has one perk. It frees up players for the IIHF world U-18 championship held in early spring. Bedard performed with Royals players Brayden Schuurman and Kalem Parker in the 2022 world U-18 championship in Germany, where Bedard surpassed Barzal as sa国际传媒’s all-time leading U-18 scorer. Bedard followed up with gold at the delayed U-20 world junior 2022 tournament in August in Edmonton and will lead sa国际传媒 into the 2023 world juniors beginning next month in Halifax and Moncton.
“You’re with the best players in the country You can learn so much from them. To play with them and practise with them is awesome,” Bedard said, about going from club to country in the world juniors.
Meanwhile, the Royals know who to key on tonight, but it comes with caveats.
“Often, the case when you play top-end players like this is you over-respect them, give them a little bit too much time and space,” Royals assistant coach Morgan Kilimchuk said in a statement.
“To have success against those types of players, you have to take away time and space, and that’s one thing we have really been addressing with the group,” added Klimchuk, himself an NHL first-round draft pick in 2013 to the Calgary Flames out of the WHL’s Pats.
Royals head coach Dan Price, in an interview, concurred: “We have a great deal of respect for Connor Bedard. But when you’re on the ice, you can’t be a spectator. If we stay connected and attack and defend as a group, it is very difficult for one player to beat five players.”
LOOSE PUCKS: After tonight, the Royals have a couple of days off before entertaining another East Division team on Tuesday night as the Moose Jaw Warriors pay a visit to the Memorial Centre.
