C Connor Bedard (2023, 1st, CHI) Part 6

[Corso]

Bedard is certainly the best prospect since McDavid but i don't expect him to be the next McDavid.....he is indeed a Mathews level prospect but with a better shot (at the same ages) and a higher IQ, thus he would most likely go ahead of Mathews (but only barely and I could easily be swayed to take Mathews). Still who could complain about a prospect that can be the next 60 goal scorer and 100pt player just because he will not be as good as McDavid???

 

[Bubbles]

Gotta love John "Scottie Bowman" Paddock to split Bedard and Howe up in the playoffs. They've played together all season but the first playoff game it's the best idea to have them on separate lines.

 

[wetcoast]

He just scored to make it 2-0 for the Pats in the 2nd period...if they get out of the first round they still won't go far but it will be very interesting to see what stat line Bedard can get.

 

[Mr Buckles]

He just scored to make it 2-0 for the Pats in the 2nd period...if they get out of the first round they still won't go far but it will be very interesting to see what stat line Bedard can get.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

1st you said hes only great on the PP, not a great ES player

Then you said he can't put up points like McDavid

When both happened, now you just rely on "hes just not as good as Crosby/Matthews" with no substance

Its comical.

I just said he was a Matthews level prospect. Jeez your reading comprehension skills are awful.

 

[Just Linda]

It's been another Bedard game again. He's created 3-4 good chances, 1 went in (another looked to have but didn't) but he's been passive without the puck again.

I just want him to create turnovers.

 

[JackSlater]

I enjoyed TSN discussing whether Bedard or McDavid has had the more impressive season. Not only a comparison of Bedard's season with the best NHL season in decades, but Button actually went with Bedard. I actually think that he believed what he was saying too.

He was not as hyped as Crosby or McDavid, but it's gone up a level or two since the WJC.

 

[Just Linda]

Bedard with a filthy turnover leading to a goal against.

 

[Just Linda]

Meant to say McDavid, which goes against everything


What a total bust.

Your obsessive disregard for any critique of him isn't amusing. Please stop replying to me unless you actually want to analyze and discuss rather than just obsess.

 

[Bubbles]

OMG WHAT A GOAL!

 

[Langway]

Ridiculous.

 

[Lavar Ball]

Kid is bonkers

 

[Mr Buckles]

OMG WHAT A GOAL!

 

[Just Linda]

3pts in a 5-1 upset win... didn't you say Bedard is going to struggle mightly this series ?


But @Just Linda told me he would be completely neutralized ? How can this be?

This isn't twitter dude, screw off with your attempt at hot takes. Bedard had a so so game by his standards, he got a penalty on his only time he battled for a puck and he was completely invisible when the puck isn't on his stick.

Nobody has ever doubted his ability with the puck but if that's your takeaway from the game... Stop watching stats and actually watch games and analyze games. Nobody gives a shit about your hot twitter takes, this board is designed to watch and analyze prospects. Something you don't contribute to at all, you just troll stats around.

 

[jj cale]

I enjoyed TSN discussing whether Bedard or McDavid has had the more impressive season. Not only a comparison of Bedard's season with the best NHL season in decades, but Button actually went with Bedard. I actually think that he believed what he was saying too.

He was not as hyped as Crosby or McDavid, but it's gone up a level or two since the WJC.

I find that WJC performance to have clouded peoples ability or dare I say even willingness to evaluate Bedard strictly on his game and it's projectability to the NHL level. I love the kid and his positives are quite obvious but making any concrete projections on him due to a wonderful WJC performance is somewhat short sighted and Button is notorious for this with any player that performs well there, Maguire was too.

perhaps it's the natural effect of being employed with the King of all things world junior, TSN.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Dare I say it.. this thread has taken quite the toxic turn.

 

[Eternal Leaf]

This isn't twitter dude, screw off with your attempt at hot takes. Bedard had a so so game by his standards, he got a penalty on his only time he battled for a puck and he was completely invisible when the puck isn't on his stick.

Nobody has ever doubted his ability with the puck but if that's your takeaway from the game... Stop watching stats and actually watch games and analyze games. Nobody gives a shit about your hot twitter takes, this board is designed to watch and analyze prospects. Something you don't contribute to at all, you just troll stats around.

This just seems like a negative take for the sake of it.

 

[jj cale]

Dare I say it.. this thread has taken quite the toxic turn.

You may dare.

 

[Just Linda]

This just seems like a negative take for the sake of it.

Not negative, just irritated by the trolling of a couple posters. Anytime any slight critisism of Bedard gets mentioned or someone says that Bedard is only as good of a prospect as one of the top 3 centres in the league, that guy trolls them and argues them by bringing up stats that anyone could google. He's derailed multiple back and forths that have were discussing the validity of Bedard's ceiling (game translatability, lack of off puck engagement, etc). Things that don't mean he's not going to be an NHL star, things that could be a difference between him being a star next year vs 4 years from now. So now we are stuck with yet another Bedard thread where any discussion gets detailed by passive aggressive swings and 'see, he got points' that absolutely ignores the genuine discussion that other posters are trying to bring.

It's the trolling bs that's killing this site.

 

[Just Linda]

Very strange comment after all his interviews during the WJC, asking the reporters to stop talking about him


You must of been one of the posters who thought it was blasphemy that McDavid was being called the future best player in the world because he "never stepped foot on the ice".

It's not just me saying so, its pretty much everyone.

Comparing him to Lafreniere just shows how little you know.

Every single expert sure as hell thinks so. I couldn't care less what the contrarions who also thought Eichel > McDavid have to say.

Bedard has exactly two comparable in the Modern NHL. Crosby and McDavid.

But sure, if Bedard suddenly decides he doesn't like Hockey and wants to be an actor like Daigle then you may have a point

Hes been vastly better than Matthews as a prospect but okkkk guy, if @whiskeyythe devil says so then it must be true! Let's ignore what he's actually done and that everyone who's involved in hockey knows he's a generational prospect

I can't wait to bring this thread back up

And look how wrong you are? You've been moving goal posts this whole thread, it's quite hilarious how much he keeps proving you wrong

1st you said hes only great on the PP, not a great ES player

Then you said he can't put up points like McDavid

When both happened, now you just rely on "hes just not as good as Crosby/Matthews" with no substance

Its comical.

Meant to say McDavid, which goes against everything


What a total bust.

3pts in a 5-1 upset win... didn't you say Bedard is going to struggle mightly this series ?


But @Just Linda told me he would be completely neutralized ? How can this be?

Here's the last 8 things this poster wrote in this thread.

- Not a single game analysis or mention of any technical angle.

- Regularly mocking other posters opinions without doing any more than quoting stats.

- Intentionally ignoring what other posters have written to try to get twitter gotcha moments.

- Doesn't actually contribute any opinion other than Bedard is good because of his stats and the records. Counters multiple examples of specific arguments with 'no, Bedard is amazing'.

This is a poster who clearly hasn't watched games and is derailing posts by mocking others opinions.

I enjoy having actual conversations about prospects but that's so hard to do on this forum nowadays because of kids like BFan not actually contributing beyond Reddit level, upvote seeking posts.

 

[Dominance]

Anyways.

We’ve all heard about this theoretical “clutch gene” before, but I don’t think there has ever been such an embodiment of it as Connor Bedard. This kid has just risen to the occasion in every big game or step-up in competitiveness, without fail.

 

[prongertheman9]

Here's the last 8 things this poster wrote in this thread.

- Not a single game analysis or mention of any technical angle.

- Regularly mocking other posters opinions without doing any more than quoting stats.

- Intentionally ignoring what other posters have written to try to get twitter gotcha moments.

- Doesn't actually contribute any opinion other than Bedard is good because of his stats and the records. Counters multiple examples of specific arguments with 'no, Bedard is amazing'.

This is a poster who clearly hasn't watched games and is derailing posts by mocking others opinions.

I enjoy having actual conversations about prospects but that's so hard to do on this forum nowadays because of kids like BFan not actually contributing beyond Reddit level, upvote seeking posts.

I don’t see much wrong with any of the posts you quoted. You continue to have bold, negative takes about Bedard - people strongly disagree with you - you are almost instantly proven wrong and people rub it in your face - you double down and the cycle starts again. That’s a message board for you. If you don’t like it, stop being so wrong!

 

[Just Linda]

I don’t see much wrong with any of the posts you quoted. You continue to have bold, negative takes about Bedard - people strongly disagree with you - you are almost instantly proven wrong and people rub it in your face - you double down and the cycle starts again. That’s a message board for you. If you don’t like it, stop being so wrong!

Really?

I'm wrong to be slightly concerned that my team might draft a player who doesn't engage in board battles, who has the lowest turnover/giveaway ratio of any elite prospect I've seen tracked, and who can be a defensive liability on a lot of nights?

Noone is arguing his production factor but there's a lot to be wondered about the Laine factor. I'm welcome for people to share their opinions on the actual concerns people have with Bedard, having concerns doesn't mean he's not going to be a great player. Posting his numbers over and over again and comparing his numbers to other players doesn't discuss the overall aspects to his game. Just talking numbers doesn't do anything to address the centre/winger debate (which people like BFan shut down by mocking the person in the last thread who asked it by calling them crazy and posting Bedard's production numbers).

I haven't been proven wrong because I'm not doubting his numbers (outside of one post which is said he might struggle to keep his scoring pace, one game doesn't disprove that point), my points are never about his numbers. I think he's going to put up good numbers at the next level, that's never what I've talked about.

 

[prongertheman9]

Really?

I'm wrong to be slightly concerned that my team might draft a player who doesn't engage in board battles, who has the lowest turnover/giveaway ratio of any elite prospect I've seen tracked, and who can be a defensive liability on a lot of nights?

Noone is arguing his production factor but there's a lot to be wondered about the Laine factor. I'm welcome for people to share their opinions on the actual concerns people have with Bedard, having concerns doesn't mean he's not going to be a great player. Posting his numbers over and over again and comparing his numbers to other players doesn't discuss the overall aspects to his game. Just talking numbers doesn't do anything to address the centre/winger debate (which people like BFan shut down by mocking the person in the last thread who asked it by calling them crazy and posting Bedard's production numbers).

I haven't been proven wrong because I'm not doubting his numbers (outside of one post which is said he might struggle to keep his scoring pace, one game doesn't disprove that point), my points are never about his numbers. I think he's going to put up good numbers at the next level, that's never what I've talked about.

You have very clearly been anti Bedard since you proclaimed Fantilli was your #1 in December. Of course people are going to rub it in your face when Bedard has a historic WJC and Fantilli slowly gets demoted down the lineup. Is BFan not allowed to bring up his production tonight after you said Bedard would likely struggle to produce this series?

I completely agree that Bedard will have to play drastically different away from the puck and change some of his habits that he has developed in the dub but there are 2 reasons why I am not overly worried:
1) He has shown the ability to change his game and adapt very quickly if needed. In game 1 of the world juniors he was Regina Bedard - trying to beat D 1 on 1, floating a bit, unnecessary turnovers, long shifts, etc.. Game 2 on he played a completely different - better puck management, effort on both sides of the puck, engaged physically, and doing a great job of identifying the high probability plays (which usually meant being a facilitator since teams were over defending his shot). Was he perfect? No. But promising that he can adjust so quickly at his age in such a pressure cooker.
2) Paddock openly admitted in an interview on their BC swing that he was actively giving Bedard extra rope in regards to shift length, flying the zone early in the defensive end, etc. in the name of producing offence. It’s not as is Bedard is being asked to play an ultra responsible 200 foot game and he is ignoring it or not able to do it. Regina’s roster necessitates that he take chances to produce. I have no doubt that he will play differently when an NHL coach asks (hammers on him) to do so.

He’s never going to be a Bergeron or even a Crosby defensively but I think he will round out his game to be acceptable away from the puck, while providing world class offence. Crosby and McDavid are the only No-doubt generational players in the last 20 years and Bedard’s pre-draft resume has essentially matched them step for step so forgive the other posters for getting excited that we might have another player of that caliber in the makings. His path to get there certainly seems more unlikely than Cros and McDavid given his skill set and size but there is something special about this kid, an “it” factor if you will, where everyone he goes he blows the doors off the expectations and finds a way - usually in the biggest moments.

 

[Dust]

Genuinely surprised to see Regina win by that margin in game 1. Saskatoon doesn't have a great history of continuing their great regular seasons into the playoffs, but I figured they'd take the first 2 at home.