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

[bigdog16]

23 points in 7 games at u-20s. MacKinnon at the same age scored 1 point. Matthews 3 points.

I think he will be a really good player, just not held in the same regard as Mack or Matthews.

I also don’t think hes a center at the next level. People keep pointing at Brayden Point but:
1. Point has 2 inches on Bedard
2. He plays way more of a gritty game than Bedard

I won’t be surprised if he doesn’t put up the gaudy numbers everyone is expecting him to next season. It will be a transition for him. The NHL is a grown man’s league. He also won’t be able to beat goalies as clean as he normally could in juniors. People expecting 80+ points from him are delusional. Granted he will get to see a lot of backup goalies next year because the Hawks will be terrible

 

[ijuka]

I think he will be a really good player, just not held in the same regard as Mack or Matthews.

I also don’t think hes a center at the next level. People keep pointing at Brayden Point but:
1. Point has 2 inches on Bedard
2. He plays way more of a gritty game than Bedard

I won’t be surprised if he doesn’t put up the gaudy numbers everyone is expecting him to next season. It will be a transition for him. The NHL is a grown man’s league. He also won’t be able to beat goalies as clean as he normally could in juniors. People expecting 80+ points from him are delusional. Granted he will get to see a lot of backup goalies next year because the Hawks will be terrible

Top 6 u-18 players for team Canada in u-20 points:

1. Connor Bedard 23
2. Wayne Gretzky 17
3. Eric Lindros 17
4. Connor McDavid 11
5. Mario Lemieux 10
6. Sidney Crosby 9

That's a pretty strong top 6, wouldn't you say?

Oh, but of course, your gut feeling has stronger NHL performance projection...

 

[Rabid Ranger]

23 points in 7 games at u-20s. MacKinnon at the same age scored 1 point. Matthews 3 points.

Does feasting on the likes of Austria and Germany really mean all that much?

 

[Mathieukferland]

I also don’t think hes a center at the next level. People keep pointing at Brayden Point but:
1. Point has 2 inches on Bedard
2. He plays way more of a gritty game than Bedard

1. I think Brayden Point was 160 lbs when he entered the league, clearly Bédard won’t have this problem
2. When we’re referring to generational players I don’t see why grit is all that relevant. He’s not being tasked with shot blocking and penalty killing. Sure it’s an added bonus when elite players like Marner or Bergeron or able to play well defensively but I don’t think anyone holds it against McDavid that he isn’t a perennial Selke finalist

 

[Mathieukferland]

Does feasting on the likes of Austria and Germany really mean all that much?

Bedard w/o Germany & Austria 10 pts in 5 games

McDavid w/o Germany & Denmark 5 pts in 5 games

Matthews w/o Denmark & Switzerland 4 pts in 5 games


Goes to show that even against stronger competition he was still way ahead of other 1st overall picks of the last decade

 

[bigdog16]

Top 6 u-18 players for team Canada in u-20 points:

1. Connor Bedard 23
2. Wayne Gretzky 17
3. Eric Lindros 17
4. Connor McDavid 11
5. Mario Lemieux 10
6. Sidney Crosby 9

That's a pretty strong top 6, wouldn't you say?

Oh, but of course, your gut feeling has stronger NHL performance projection...

You are right, looks like Bedard will be better than Gretzky because he outscored him in a 7 game tournament….With half of those points coming against Germany and Austria….

 

[bigdog16]

1. I think Brayden Point was 160 lbs when he entered the league, clearly Bédard won’t have this problem
2. When we’re referring to generational players I don’t see why grit is all that relevant. He’s not being tasked with shot blocking and penalty killing. Sure it’s an added bonus when elite players like Marner or Bergeron or able to play well defensively but I don’t think anyone holds it against McDavid that he isn’t a perennial Selke finalist

Point was 160 when he was drafted. He was 180 in his rookie year with Tampa

 

[Corso]

I won’t be surprised if he doesn’t put up the gaudy numbers everyone is expecting him to next season. It will be a transition for him. The NHL is a grown man’s league. He also won’t be able to beat goalies as clean as he normally could in juniors. People expecting 80+ points from him are delusional

I see him as 50-60 point player in his rookie season. He may surprise and hit 70 but you are right that it is very improbable that he becomes a better than a ppg as an 18 year old rookie. To early to say if he will be regarded in the same level as a Mack or Mathews but I honestly see his floor as 80-90 points per year in his prime with a very high ceiling of 110+ ppg per season. His size is a minor concern but he has far too many attributes to not be an elite player.

 

[prongertheman9]

I think he will be a really good player, just not held in the same regard as Mack or Matthews.

I also don’t think hes a center at the next level. People keep pointing at Brayden Point but:
1. Point has 2 inches on Bedard
2. He plays way more of a gritty game than Bedard

I won’t be surprised if he doesn’t put up the gaudy numbers everyone is expecting him to next season. It will be a transition for him. The NHL is a grown man’s league. He also won’t be able to beat goalies as clean as he normally could in juniors. People expecting 80+ points from him are delusional. Granted he will get to see a lot of backup goalies next year because the Hawks will be terrible

What would you set the over/under at for his point totals next season?

 

[Fraser28]

Why are Canadian posters obsessed with trying to convince us that Bedard is a McDavid/Crosby level prospect.

His ceiling isn’t as high as Mackinnon or Matthews who are truly elite big strong fast centers. We still don’t even know if Bedard will be a center at the next level.

I’m sorry but if you think Bedard’s ceiling is BELOW Matthews and MacKinnon, your opinion immediately holds no weight. That’s a silly take.

 

[Panthaz89]

Does feasting on the likes of Austria and Germany really mean all that much?

Germany is bad? Didn't know every other player in the tourney didn't get to play Germany or Austria either apparently. Weird that you think Germany is that bad did you only watch them vs the USA/CAN because Sweden only beat them 1-0.

 

[bigdog16]

What would you set the over/under at for his point totals next season?

55

I’m sorry but if you think Bedard’s ceiling is BELOW Matthews and MacKinnon, your opinion immediately holds no weight. That’s a silly take.

Has there been a winger thats been more valuable than Mack or Matthews in the past 5 years ?

Germany is bad? Didn't know every other player in the tourney didn't get to play Germany or Austria either apparently. Weird that you think Germany is that bad did you only watch them vs the USA/CAN because Sweden only beat them 1-0.

Yea Germany actually sucked. They got pounded by the Czech too. Their goalie stood on his head in the Sweden game, other than the score it wasn’t particularly close.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Source? Looks like Matthews was just as productive at age 16: https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues/seasons/teams/0065622015.html

And Eichel was three points off Hughes' draft year pace while on a team with less overall offensive support.

Again, Hughes' comparables are Matthews and Eichel while Bedard's are Wayne, Mario and Crosby.

Top 3 - 5 player in the league ceiling vs. Generational player ceiling.

Elite Prospects - NTDP Stats All-time season

All-time/historical regular season stats and leaders per season for NTDP, including top goal scorers, most games played, PPG leaders and more.

www.eliteprospects.com

Hughes: 2.24
Matthews: 1.95

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Why is this about nationality?

We all have our nationalities and it’s natural to hope your own nationality has the most success and to care more about the success of players of your nationality, but from all my years in this section of this website I’ve found that most of us just like discussing draft prospects and we don’t think about their nationality. Most don’t think each discussion is a veiled discussion about superiority of nationalities within hockey.

Everyone should be entitled to their opinion about players without being accused of being biased for or against due to their nationality.

 

[Fraser28]

55

Has there been a winger thats been more valuable than Mack or Matthews in the past 5 years ?

Yea Germany actually sucked. They got pounded by the Czech too. Their goalie stood on his head in the Sweden game, other than the score it wasn’t particularly close.

So your argument is: it hasn’t happened in the past 5 years, so how could it happen now? That’s broken logic if I’ve ever seen any.

Also, Bedard is expected to play C. Not that it has any bearing on what I said above.

55 points is a bad prediction too btw.

 

[Mrfenn92]

Connor Bedard is a center. His skating is very good. His shot is exceptional. His height and weight won’t be an issue. It’s ok everyone he’s going to be really good in a really short period of time.

 

[bigdog16]

So your argument is: it hasn’t happened in the past 5 years, so how could it happen now? That’s broken logic if I’ve ever seen any.

Also, Bedard is expected to play C. Not that it has any bearing on what I said above.

55 points is a bad prediction too btw.

Ok go back 10-15-20 years? Centers are way more valuable than wingers. He isn’t a center at the NHL level.

You think he is going to be a PPG player as an 18 year old playing on that Blackhawks team? McDavid was barely a PPG as a rookie playing with Drai, Hall, Nugent Hopkins etc. Bedard will have Hall and who else, Taylor Raddysh??

 

[Fraser28]

Ok go back 10-15-20 years? Centers are way more valuable than wingers. He isn’t a center at the NHL level.

You think he is going to be a PPG player as an 18 year old playing on that Blackhawks team? McDavid was barely a PPG as a rookie playing with Drai, Hall, Nugent Hopkins etc. Bedard will have Hall and who else, Taylor Raddysh??

Yes he is a center at the NHL level.

How did you leap to 82 points simply because I pointed out that 55 points is a bad prediction? I can’t see him getting below 70. I could definitely see PPG though. He’s an elite talent who can create offense completely on his own. Refer to his entire career thus far for samples.

 

[Mrfenn92]

Ok go back 10-15-20 years? Centers are way more valuable than wingers. He isn’t a center at the NHL level.

You think he is going to be a PPG player as an 18 year old playing on that Blackhawks team? McDavid was barely a PPG as a rookie playing with Drai, Hall, Nugent Hopkins etc. Bedard will have Hall and who else, Taylor Raddysh??

He’s a center. The end.

 

[bigdog16]

Yes he is a center at the NHL level.

How did you leap to 82 points simply because I pointed out that 55 points is a bad prediction? I can’t see him getting below 70. I could definitely see PPG though. He’s an elite talent who can create offense completely on his own. Refer to his entire career thus far for samples.

He’s a center. The end.

Lol ok. We’ll see.

70 points as a floor eh. Gonna have to find more ways to score goals because he won’t beat goalies clean from 25 feet out like is used to in the dub. Doesnt have the speed of McDavid or Mack, doesn’t have the strength or reach of Matthews, doesn’t have the grittiness of Crosby. I think a lot of people will be surprised at how tough the transition will be. 55 points next year is a good season in my eyes

 

[Mrfenn92]

 

[Lavar Ball]

View attachment 727440

Sick piece but pressures on, Kid

 

[Mrfenn92]

Sick piece but pressures on, Kid

No doubt

 

[HawksDub89]

Hawks win the Draft Lottery, and he suddenly went from generational to a tiny Dylan Strome.

It’s hilarious but predictable.

 

[HawksDub89]

I’m sorry but if you think Bedard’s ceiling is BELOW Matthews and MacKinnon, your opinion immediately holds no weight. That’s a silly take.

It’s more just a dumb thought than an opinion if we’re being honest.

Connor Bedard is a center. His skating is very good. His shot is exceptional. His height and weight won’t be an issue. It’s ok everyone he’s going to be really good in a really short period of time.

The f***ing gymnastics that other teams fans have been doing since the hawks won the lottery is something.