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

[cupface52]

I think in this situation Kane is a good comparison. They're both the same height and very shifty skilled players who use agility and positioning to put themselves in good scoring opportunities. Hopefully Bedard can do the same

Kane was drafted at 5'9 160lbs.
Bedard is 5'10 185lbs.

I believe Crosby was drafted at 5'11 190lbs. He's pretty much built like Crosby, just an inch shorter.



I don't get why Bedard gets called small, a label Crosby never came close to having, nor should he have. A 17 year old athlete that's 5'10 185lbs is a thick kid.

 

[ponder]

Kane was drafted at 5'9 160lbs.
Bedard is 5'10 185lbs.

I believe Crosby was drafted at 5'11 190lbs. He's pretty much built like Crosby, just an inch shorter.



I don't get why Bedard gets called small, a label Crosby never came close to having, nor should he have. A 17 year old athlete that's 5'10 185lbs is a thick kid.

You’re right about Crosby’s height/weight at the draft - or basically right, he was measured at 5’11”, 193 lbs at the combine. But I definitely don’t agree that Sid never got the “small” label, there was plenty of talk about his size before he stepped onto NHL ice. Once he did play, and was immediately dominant, people stopped caring, but he was certainly talked about as being a smaller player.

 

[Skinnyjimmy08]

Just look at the date lol

for those of us living in BC, his name has been hyped up like this for many many years... I watched him alot when he was 13 and14 years old and heard the hype about him in the years before that too.

It was similar to Mathew Barzal too... that name was so well known in BC(and probably other provinces too) when he was 10/11 ish years old too and everyone assumed he would become a star

 

[JaegerDice]

I showed a friend of mine who’s a casual hockey fan (ie, he doesnt really pay attention to anything other than his favorite nhl team, exclusively at the NHL level) a video montage of Bedard and he sums him up perfectly:

“He scores goals like you’d see in the 80s”

And its true. He makes technically sound butterfly goalies look like the rigid, stand-up, taking drags between whistles goalies of the 80s. Clean looks from distances that you’re just not used to seeing goals go in.

 

[Nathaniel Skywalker]

He could be taller ideally but 5'10 isn't the end of the world and ne can still grow.

 

[JaegerDice]

He could be taller ideally but 5'10 isn't the end of the world and ne can still grow.

He’s an inch shorter than noted lawn gnome Sidney Crosby.

He’ll be fine.

 

[Nathaniel Skywalker]

He’s an inch shorter than noted lawn gnome Sidney Crosby.

He’ll be fine.

That's what I'm saying. He will gain weight with age. 5'10 205-10 pounds is fine

 

[JaegerDice]

That's what I'm saying. He will gain weight with age. 5'10 205-10 pounds is fine

I know. I wasnt arguing with you, I was doubling down on your point.

 

[LuGBuG]

I feel is he is like a modernized Wayne Gretzky. The way he sees the ice and delays and holds onto the puck. Obviously that doesn’t mean he is going to get those point totals or even match McDavids as the game is different now and suits other styles more. That is what he reminded me of during World Jrs though.

 

[pvr]

I feel is he is like a modernized Wayne Gretzky. The way he sees the ice and delays and holds onto the puck. Obviously that doesn’t mean he is going to get those point totals or even match McDavids as the game is different now and suits other styles more. That is what he reminded me of during World Jrs though.

And yet he dominated the World Jrs just like Gretzky dominated the NHL.

 

[LuGBuG]

And yet he dominated the World Jrs just like Gretzky dominated the NHL.

Oh definitely. I just think that style won’t translate over to the NHL with THAT level of domination. Trust me I’m not saying he won’t be dominant. I just have a hard time seeing a McDavid level but I do think he will be an absolute beast out there.

 

[ijuka]

I feel is he is like a modernized Wayne Gretzky. The way he sees the ice and delays and holds onto the puck. Obviously that doesn’t mean he is going to get those point totals or even match McDavids as the game is different now and suits other styles more. That is what he reminded me of during World Jrs though.

I think that Bedard's significant strength is hockey IQ and hockey IQ tends to translate very well. I'm not really sure why his style wouldn't translate - he constantly makes high hockey IQ plays, it's not like he relies on gimmicks or on his opponents being weaker or something. His style of play should translate very well in theory.

 

[LuGBuG]

I think that Bedard's significant strength is hockey IQ and hockey IQ tends to translate very well. I'm not really sure why his style wouldn't translate - he constantly makes high hockey IQ plays, it's not like he relies on gimmicks or on his opponents being weaker or something. His style of play should translate very well in theory.

I’m not saying it won’t translate in a sense he will be bad. I just don’t think his style will translate into McDavid numbers. I don’t think that’s some outrageous claim by me. I could see him being top 3 in the league at some point still. Anyway just my opinion.

 

[Mathieukferland]

Le surdoué dont vous n'avez jamais entendu parler - L'Équipe explore

Comme Victor Wembanyama, Connor Bedard a été drafté en premier. Et comme Victor, Connor semble destiné à marquer l’histoire de son sport. Avant tout ça, ce hockeyeur canadien de 17 ans et sa famille ouvrent leurs portes et livrent le mode d’emploi du phénomène qui ne se perd pas en chemin.

www.lequipe.fr

For anyone with an understanding of French, this is the most in depth story I’ve seen on him

 

[LeProspector]

Nickname: Bedzie!

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I was impressed with the season Bedard had. He didn't leave any room for anyone to doubt if he was going to be the first pick. He definitely improved his defensive game, face-off ability, and skating too. Didn't hurt that he grew an inch, and now the statistics are comparing him to 5'10 players and not 5'9 players.

I think some of the discourse is over-board. He's not a ton better than Jack Hughes was as a prospect, just a little different style of 5'10 incredibly talented offensive forward. However, it's like this for any North American player that has a chance to go 1st Overall, so I get that some are going to call him generational and all that. Same was said by some people about Hughes and Matthews and Eichel and Patrick and Wright and Lafreniere and all those players at certain points. None of them were that close to McDavid though, which is what the generational standard is.

Anyway, he fully deserved the first overall pick slot. I'm not one of those people that would've considered any of the outside stuff for not listing Michkov first, and I think he fairly beat out Michkov over the course of the season for the best player in this draft. Being able to improve his chance to stick at center was big for him this season, and he produced all season against all levels of competition. As great as Michkov is, when it's that close you go with the center, so as someone who is probably higher on Michkov than 99% of the people out there, I think Bedard had a hard-fought earned win as the best player in the 2023 draft at the time of the draft.

 

[jj cale]

I was impressed with the season Bedard had. He didn't leave any room for anyone to doubt if he was going to be the first pick. He definitely improved his defensive game, face-off ability, and skating too. Didn't hurt that he grew an inch, and now the statistics are comparing him to 5'10 players and not 5'9 players.

I think some of the discourse is over-board. He's not a ton better than Jack Hughes was as a prospect, just a little different style of 5'10 incredibly talented offensive forward. However, it's like this for any North American player that has a chance to go 1st Overall, so I get that some are going to call him generational and all that. Same was said by some people about Hughes and Matthews and Eichel and Patrick and Wright and Lafreniere and all those players at certain points. None of them were that close to McDavid though, which is what the generational standard is.

Anyway, he fully deserved the first overall pick slot. I'm not one of those people that would've considered any of the outside stuff for not listing Michkov first, and I think he fairly beat out Michkov over the course of the season for the best player in this draft. Being able to improve his chance to stick at center was big for him this season, and he produced all season against all levels of competition. As great as Michkov is, when it's that close you go with the center, so as someone who is probably higher on Michkov than 99% of the people out there, I think Bedard had a hard-fought earned win as the best player in the 2023 draft at the time of the draft.

Good take, nice to see you back.

 

[Mathieukferland]

He's not a ton better than Jack Hughes was as a prospect

Oh god here we go again

As great as Michkov is, when it's that close you go with the center, so as someone who is probably higher on Michkov than 99% of the people out there, I think Bedard had a hard-fought earned win as the best player in the 2023 draft at the time of the draft.

This I will agree with though, if I’m doing a combined draft of the last 10 years my top 5 is probably

1. McDavid
2. Bedard
3. Matthews
4. Michkov
5. MacKinnon/Dahlin

 

[Fatass]

Oh god here we go again



This I will agree with though, if I’m doing a combined draft of the last 10 years my top 5 is probably

1. McDavid
2. Bedard
3. Matthews
4. Michkov
5. MacKinnon/Dahlin

For first OA picks:
McDavid
Matthews
Mackinnon
Bedard
Power

 

[daver]

I was impressed with the season Bedard had. He didn't leave any room for anyone to doubt if he was going to be the first pick. He definitely improved his defensive game, face-off ability, and skating too. Didn't hurt that he grew an inch, and now the statistics are comparing him to 5'10 players and not 5'9 players.

I think some of the discourse is over-board. He's not a ton better than Jack Hughes was as a prospect, just a little different style of 5'10 incredibly talented offensive forward. However, it's like this for any North American player that has a chance to go 1st Overall, so I get that some are going to call him generational and all that. Same was said by some people about Hughes and Matthews and Eichel and Patrick and Wright and Lafreniere and all those players at certain points. None of them were that close to McDavid though, which is what the generational standard is.

He put up the 2nd best offensive numbers, including the best goalscoring numbers, for a CHL prospect in close to 40 years.

If anything can be called a "ton" better, that would be it.

 

[bigdog16]

Oh god here we go again



This I will agree with though, if I’m doing a combined draft of the last 10 years my top 5 is probably

1. McDavid
2. Bedard
3. Matthews
4. Michkov
5. MacKinnon/Dahlin

This is shiny new toy syndrome if I’ve ever seen it. The top 3 are McDavid Matthews and Mack.

Bedards skating is fine but I think it is ultimately what holds him back from being compared to these 3. Matthews skating isnt elite either but its a lot better than Bedards, and Matthews is 6’3 210

 

[ThisIsMyAlibi]

This is shiny new toy syndrome if I’ve ever seen it. The top 3 are McDavid Matthews and Mack.

Bedards skating is fine but I think it is ultimately what holds him back from being compared to these 3. Matthews skating isnt elite either but its a lot better than Bedards, and Matthews is 6’3 210

Thank you for saying this.

 

[Sweetpotato]

This is shiny new toy syndrome if I’ve ever seen it. The top 3 are McDavid Matthews and Mack.

Bedards skating is fine but I think it is ultimately what holds him back from being compared to these 3. Matthews skating isnt elite either but its a lot better than Bedards, and Matthews is 6’3 210

Bedards skating is better than Matthews. It's not McDavid MacKinnon, but it's better than Austin's.

-signed someone who watched both Matthews and Bedard well over 20 times each this year and 4 times live.

 

[bigdog16]

Bedards skating is better than Matthews. It's not McDavid MacKinnon, but it's better than Austin's.

-signed someone who watched both Matthews and Bedard well over 20 times each this year and 4 times live.

No it isnt. Matthews is just a lot bigger, so it looks like he isn’t moving fast. But he gets around better than Bedard.

-signed someone who watched both Matthews and Bedard well over 30 times this year and 5 times live.

 

[Mathieukferland]

This is shiny new toy syndrome if I’ve ever seen it. The top 3 are McDavid Matthews and Mack.

Bedards skating is fine but I think it is ultimately what holds him back from being compared to these 3. Matthews skating isnt elite either but its a lot better than Bedards, and Matthews is 6’3 210

I’m talking about as prospects; MacKinnon who I would say is the second best player in the world today wasn’t that impressive comparatively as a prospect to Bedard or Michkov. Same for Matthews. I don’t think Bedard translates as well to the NHL as McDavid, but as a prospect his output and game was certainly more impressive.