C Connor Bedard - Regina Pats, WHL (2023 Draft) Part 3

[Mr Buckles]

The Regina Pats are fighting for the last playoff spot in their conference at the moment, with 3 games remaining.

 

[BoundinGold]

What are the chances that Bedard wears #98 when he makes the NHL? Has he always worn it, or is it since he's joined the Pats?

 

[Dust]

you are right...i forgot Pouliot was on his line, they switched him from center to wing...

i am wondering if Howe is only doing as good as he is because of Bedard...be interesting to see Howe without Bedard...

Howe was showing pretty well himself on another line. He will be another one to keep an eye on.

 

[Gillings]

Lots of reasons to point to him as being the best CHL prospect since McDavid. As a reminder, Crosby was even slightly younger than Bedard and dominated the Q in scoring as a 16 year old.

Generational goalscoring prospect seems like the best label.

Franchise.

 

[daver]

As fantastic as these guys are now, I wonder if we will see stats like Mario?

1983‑84

Laval; (QMJHL)(bcde)

70

*133

*149

*282

92

14

*29

*23

*52

29

Scoring was ridiculously high in the Q at that point. You have to look at how far ahead of everyone else a player was rather than look at raw point totals. Crosby was on par with Mario's dominance in his two equivalent seasons in the Q when scoring levels are considered (and through his first two NHL seasons).

Bedard's 16 year old season is very impressive. Definitely on par with McDavid's. Not sure the gut reaction to him as a prospect is quite on the level of McDavid/Crosby though.

 

[kyle44]

I watched a lot of McDavid in his Erie days. I am not sure if you did, and saw a completely different player, or if you didn't and are just spitballing here. If you didn't I suggest you go watch some of his Erie highlights on YouTube. McDavid was absolutely unreal every year in Erie and his highlights are video game worthy. He really couldn't be stopped. Scored at will. End to End rushes like it was nobodies business. The strong team around him had less to do with his stats and more to do with his influence on them.

I haven't see enough of Bedard beyond his highlights, and what I see, I really really like, but to match McDavid in junior would be a lofty feat.

I agree with you that McDavid would've put up points based on talent alone, but I don't think the poster is trying to downplay him here. I think what the poster is trying to say is that its likely that playing on a 52 win team with guys like Brown, Burakovsky, Fox, Gaunce, Pelech (10 total players that have played at least 1 NHL game), put upwards pressure on McDavid's point totals instead of the reverse. I agree with the poster that Bedard is only surrounded by a fraction of the talent McDavid was during his 16 year old season and, if placed in a similar situation, its logical to assume Bedard would have even higher production than he does currently.

 

[NYIschremp44]

What are the chances that Bedard wears #98 when he makes the NHL? Has he always worn it, or is it since he's joined the Pats?

Chances are very good he continues to wear #98. The only way I don't see it happening is if he's drafted by Tampa Bay as Mikhail Sergachev is already wearing it. He wore it both years with West Van, NSWC, Vancouver Vipers, Jr. Cancuks at the Brick, WSI for Pacific Selects (see the picture I took 3 years ago)

 

[Stewie Griffin]

View attachment 529598


Chances are very good he continues to wear #98. The only way I don't see it happening is if he's drafted by Tampa Bay as Mikhail Sergachev is already wearing it. He wore it both years with West Van, NSWC, Vancouver Vipers, Jr. Cancuks at the Brick, WSI for Pacific Selects (see the picture I took 3 years ago)

If he's drafted by Tampa I'm done with hockey

 

[Sweetpotato]

I agree with you that McDavid would've put up points based on talent alone, but I don't think the poster is trying to downplay him here. I think what the poster is trying to say is that its likely that playing on a 52 win team with guys like Brown, Burakovsky, Fox, Gaunce, Pelech (10 total players that have played at least 1 NHL game), put upwards pressure on McDavid's point totals instead of the reverse. I agree with the poster that Bedard is only surrounded by a fraction of the talent McDavid was during his 16 year old season and, if placed in a similar situation, its logical to assume Bedard would have even higher production than he does currently.

When McDavid was in Erie I had an OHL tv sub and watched most of his games. I can comfortably say watching both of them 20-30 times for each of their draft -1 seasons that Bedard is more talented at the same age and as his skating improves that will show through in numbers. McDavids skating puts him in an entire other stratosphere of player especially at that level.

What Bedard needs to do is make his "play making" elite, you see flashes of it but he needs to find his man more often. He creates a ton of offense as is but generally it's due to put the puck on net.

 

[Dominance]

When McDavid was in Erie I had an OHL tv sub and watched most of his games. I can comfortably say watching both of them 20-30 times for each of their draft -1 seasons that Bedard is more talented at the same age and as his skating improves that will show through in numbers. McDavids skating puts him in an entire other stratosphere of player especially at that level.

What Bedard needs to do is make his "play making" elite, you see flashes of it but he needs to find his man more often. He creates a ton of offense as is but generally it's due to put the puck on net.

This comment reads like you watched him play a lot last year but have not seen him as much in 2022 yet. He’s made massive strides in his playmaking the second half of this season, exploiting how opponents have had to respect his shot. It’s really good to see.

 

[Bubbles]

This comment reads like you watched him play a lot last year but have not seen him as much in 2022 yet. He’s made massive strides in his playmaking the second half of this season, exploiting how opponents have had to respect his shot. It’s really good to see.

Yep.

There are so many Grade A chances missed by his linemates that I've seen this year, which is why I said his point total would have been much higher had he some more help.

We've seen he plays even better when paired with better talents at the U18 and U20 level.

 

[Sweetpotato]

This comment reads like you watched him play a lot last year but have not seen him as much in 2022 yet. He’s made massive strides in his playmaking the second half of this season, exploiting how opponents have had to respect his shot. It’s really good to see.

I watched him significantly more this year than last. He has the ability to make those plays, I'm not saying he doesn't, and he does move the puck well as well as manipulate the ice, I'm saying he isn't able to do it with the same regularity of say a McDavid, Kane, Draisaitl, etc in their draft years. It's something he still needs to work on.

 

[nbwingsfan]

Scoring was ridiculously high in the Q at that point. You have to look at how far ahead of everyone else a player was rather than look at raw point totals. Crosby was on par with Mario's dominance in his two equivalent seasons in the Q when scoring levels are considered (and through his first two NHL seasons).

Bedard's 16 year old season is very impressive. Definitely on par with McDavid's. Not sure the gut reaction to him as a prospect is quite on the level of McDavid/Crosby though.

Crosbys Draft season definitely wasn’t on par with Lemieux’s… Lemieux had more than double (142 points to be exact) more than the next closest player who wasn’t on his own team. Nevermind his ridiculous 52pts in 14 playoff games.

Crosby had 60pts more. Much less than half as much. Crosby was insane but Lemieux had hands down the most dominant draft season of all time

 

[daver]

Crosbys Draft season definitely wasn’t on par with Lemieux’s… Lemieux had more than double (142 points to be exact) more than the next closest player who wasn’t on his own team. Nevermind his ridiculous 52pts in 14 playoff games.

Crosby had 60pts more. Much less than half as much. Crosby was insane but Lemieux had hands down the most dominant draft season of all time

Crosby missed some games and 83/84 saw a drop in the scoring levels by the leaders vs. other Q seasons before and after. This is a separate conversation but the point was Crosby was on another level as a 16 year old than McDavid and Bedard were. McDavid's 17 year old season was closer to Crosby. We will see what happens with Bedard. He certainly looks like he is a better goalscorer than McDavid was as a prospect; a trait that usually translates well into the NHL.

 

[ORRFForever]

The Pats are being overwhelmed by the Ice. Bedard still has an assist.

 

[ORRFForever]

2 Assists with a period to play vs the Ice.

 

[Bubbles]

No playoffs for the Pats. Bedard has one more game tomorrow to get 50 goals.

They better play him all 2 minutes of powerplay and penalty kill. It's the least the Pats can do.

 

[Mr Buckles]

No playoffs for the Pats. Bedard has one more game tomorrow to get 50 goals.

They better play him all 2 minutes of powerplay and penalty kill. It's the least the Pats can do.

I know there's the unofficial 'graduation rule' to Hockey Canada, but would be nice to see him use the time to go to the U18s tournament - starts April 23rd in Germany.

 

[covfefe]

I know there's the unofficial 'graduation rule' to Hockey Canada, but would be nice to see him use the time to go to the U18s tournament - starts April 23rd in Germany.

HC executives way too busy figuring out their afternoon four-ball match to even begin considering something this outlandish.

 

[Mr Buckles]

Bedard just scored #50 (+ he has 3 assists)in what is his...final game of the season?

 

[Boss Man Hughes]

Bedard scores his 50th goal in is last game this season

 

[Boss Man Hughes]

Bedard just scored #50 (+ he has 3 assists)in what is his...final game of the season?

Yes. He needs a point for a 100 pt season.

 

[Mr Buckles]

 

[Boss Man Hughes]

Empty net goal - 51 goals - 100 points

 

[Mikeshane]

That's a wacky release on that shot.