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

[FiveFourteenSixOne]

Probably the wrong time to say it but Matthews was clearly a better prospect imo. I would prefer Eichel too. Guess I’m not nearly as high on Bedard as some (most?) are here.

Hey guys I found the contrarian!

This is the kind of person that was born and raised in Montreal and cheers for the Leafs, "just cuz".

 

[VictorLustig]

Hey guys I found the contrarian!

This is the kind of person that was born and raised in Montreal and cheers for the Leafs, "just cuz".

Nope. Born and raised in Sweden. Cheer for Sweden ”just cuz”.

 

[FiveFourteenSixOne]

Bedard is a much more hughly touted prospect but one thing Caufield proves is an undersized player can absolutely rip it at the NHL level.

True.

Bedard is also a better skater, and smarter player than Caufield, so I think there are good reasons to be optimistic that he can translate his game to the NHL.

 

[FDBluth]

Anyone get a bit of a Datsyuk vibe from Bedard?

I can see it. I think he has a similar approach in certain aspects of his game, especially when beating players and moving with the puck in the offensive zone. Very methodical and surgical in executing moves with the puck. Likes to go east-west and beat players going from side to side.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

The discourse here has rather obviously been comparing Bedard and Matthews as prospects and in terms of NHL projection, with size being a major factor

Someone uses Cole Caufield as an example that Bedard will be able to "absolutely rip it" in NHL despite his size. This makes very little sense to me, because

Caufield is a 20 goal scorer, not a 60 goal scorer like Matthews
So, either
a) Caufield is massively inferior to Matthews in shooting ability
or,
b) Caufields size or other abilities prevent him from getting to the scoring positions required to score like Matthews

Which leaves us with absolutely no evidence through Caufield example that size is not a concern in terms of being "absolutely able to rip it" at the NHL level, so long as Matthews or any other relevant goalscorer really is the standard being compared to.

Caufield scored something like 20 goals in his final 37 games of the season. As a rookie on a lottery team.

I think it's safe to assume that he's going to be a really good goal scorer.

 

[Rengorlex]

Caufield scored something like 20 goals in his final 37 games of the season. As a rookie on a lottery team.

I think it's safe to assume that he's going to be a really good goal scorer.

I'm Oilers fan. I remember Yakupov's rookie year.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

I'm Oilers fan. I remember Yakupov's rookie year.

Well luckily for Caufield, he's not on a team with perpetually terrible coaching. And he's actually a very smart player, which helps.

 

[Alberta Yote]

Bedard's confidence probably isn't growing these past couple of games.

 

[Kopitar11]

He is such a beast. Whatever team gets him will be very happy in the future.
Hope he doesnt end up in a place like arizona for example.
Philly would be a dream for the fans and im one.
But it sucks to tank, but we'll see. We might not even have to do it we can go very very bad anyway and get a goood chance in lottery. Its time for the NHL to give the Flyers the first choice.
Tired of the same teams getting it everytime. Its not fair

 

[McRpro]

He is such a beast. Whatever team gets him will be very happy in the future.
Hope he doesnt end up in a place like arizona for example.
Philly would be a dream for the fans and im one.
But it sucks to tank, but we'll see. We might not even have to do it we can go very very bad anyway and get a goood chance in lottery. Its time for the NHL to give the Flyers the first choice.
Tired of the same teams getting it everytime. Its not fair

Sometimes life isn't fair, Rocket Man.

 

[VictoriaJetsFan]

He is going to be so happy getting drafted by Steve Yzerman and putting in the winged wheel.

The DRW deserve to complete their rebuild with at least 1 top 3 pick

A team with bedard, Seider and Edvinsson going forward would be terrifying.

 

[Bounces R Way]

Has to be said he was brutal in the QF game against the Swiss. All the immature things you would expect from a freshly 17 year old budding superstar. Long shifts, getting lost in the defensive zone, trying to go 1 on 2 too often, firing it into defenders rather than making a pass. Also god bless him for the effort shot blocking but ooooof complete flailure

Will be interesting to see how his game rebounds in the SF. Elite players don't have b2b bad games very often.

 

[BWJM]

Zero points tonight... he's a bust guys.

 

[Leviathan899]

Skating is very good. Definitely better than Matthews imo. Bedard can beat guys 1vs1 ways Matthews can’t.

I don’t think it’s bad by any means, but he’s not a burner at all and won’t be seen as a top end skater at the nhl level unless he improves on it drastically.

 

[Leviathan899]

HF is so exhausting sometimes. You do acknowledge that Caufield can fire the puck-right? That he can beat goalies outright with his shot?

To be honest I think Caufield has a better shot than Bedard, release wise. Bedard can absolutely wire the puck, but he has to really lean into it. I wouldn’t describe Bedard as having an insanely good release, but it does pop off his stick really well. He gets a bit too many of his shots blocked or deflected as he does need some time and space to let it go. Caufield has a bit more of a versatile release. I know this won’t be popular since the hype around Bedard is out of this world, but I think him and Caufield will have similar careers. Bedard is better but I don’t think it’s a huge gap. Caufield was also a phenom at the NTDP and just got overshadowed a bit by Hughes when it came to overall hype. I don’t think Bedard is an elite passer or playmaker, skating is fine but not dynamic, isn’t a very good 200 foot player, although I’m sure he’ll improve upon that. But outside of his wicked shot, I don’t see much to his game that scream sure fire top 5 NHL player. Although I do expect him to be a routine 40 goal scorer or more year in year out once he’s established in the league

Yeah but you do realize that if Bedard becomes Cole Caufield that's the biggest bust relative to draft hype since Daigle?

That’s the problem with hype, it often gets out of control and only hurts the kid.

 

[Tutu to]

I don’t think it’s bad by any means, but he’s not a burner at all and won’t be seen as a top end skater at the nhl level unless he improves on it drastically.

He’s looked slower overall this tournament.

 

[Leviathan899]

He’s looked slower overall this tournament.

Yeah he’s definitely filled out a little and has gotten heavier, which I do think is essential for a player of his size. Now he just has to keep working on his stride and quick feet.

 

[Tutu to]

Yeah he’s definitely filled out a little and has gotten heavier, which I do think is essential for a player of his size. Now he just has to keep working on his stride and quick feet.

But was it just me or was he quicker in December? Maybe he’s injured.

 

[cjdv16]

But was it just me or was he quicker in December? Maybe he’s injured.

Tough tourney to play this time of year.

 

[cjdv16]

I don’t think it’s bad by any means, but he’s not a burner at all and won’t be seen as a top end skater at the nhl level unless he improves on it drastically.

Pretty common for many top end prospects. He’ll be fine.

 

[Leviathan899]

Pretty common for many top end prospects. He’ll be fine.

For sure, he’s still an elite player. Just something I want to see him improve upon going forward. He has elite hockey sense and shot and those two alone will carry him very far

 

[Chiarelli]

Nope. Not a bit. A very different kind of player in my opinion. What really makes you think like that?

Shifty, high IQ, positioning, east-west play, and he doesn’t really have a stand out quality other than his shot yet consistently dominant.

 

[Ippenator]

Shifty, high IQ, positioning, east-west play, and he doesn’t really have a stand out quality other than his shot yet consistently dominant.

I would say quite far fetched. Datsuyk was defensively excellent, which Bedard definitely isn’t. Datsyuk had absolutely filthy hands, which again Bedard doesn’t have, although his hands are definitely very good for sure. And finally, Datsyuyk was always a pass first guy, while Bedard is definitely a shoot first guy, which he definitely should be with the magnificent shot that he has.

All this leaves me to recognise only the high hockey IQ and shiftiness being a bit similar between them, but I would say those are anyway abilities that all real top class players of their sizes have always had. Really very far fetched to say that they somehow clearly remind each others. I will stick to my opinion that they are after all very different kind or players.

 

[Kennerback]

To be honest I think Caufield has a better shot than Bedard, release wise. Bedard can absolutely wire the puck, but he has to really lean into it. I wouldn’t describe Bedard as having an insanely good release, but it does pop off his stick really well. He gets a bit too many of his shots blocked or deflected as he does need some time and space to let it go. Caufield has a bit more of a versatile release. I know this won’t be popular since the hype around Bedard is out of this world, but I think him and Caufield will have similar careers. Bedard is better but I don’t think it’s a huge gap. Caufield was also a phenom at the NTDP and just got overshadowed a bit by Hughes when it came to overall hype. I don’t think Bedard is an elite passer or playmaker, skating is fine but not dynamic, isn’t a very good 200 foot player, although I’m sure he’ll improve upon that. But outside of his wicked shot, I don’t see much to his game that scream sure fire top 5 NHL player. Although I do expect him to be a routine 40 goal scorer or more year in year out once he’s established in the league


That’s the problem with hype, it often gets out of control and only hurts the kid.

Caufield and even Matthews are on the continuum of classic shots. Matthews uses it better than anyone but it’s still an extreme form of a classic release. First time I say Bedard I was stunned how his shot was different.

He presses hard downwards, the stick bends in a deep arc and loads up energy and the puck just pops out. The follow through snaps upward differently than anyone else. The way the puck leaves the blade must be confusing for goalies. And it comes in like a bullet.

 

[Leviathan899]

Caufield and even Matthews are on the continuum of classic shots. Matthews uses it better than anyone but it’s still an extreme form of a classic release. First time I say Bedard I was stunned how his shot was different.

He presses hard downwards, the stick bends in a deep arc and loads up energy and the puck just pops out. The follow through snaps upward differently than anyone else. The way the puck leaves the blade must be confusing for goalies. And it comes in like a bullet.

Ya that’s a good description of his release for sure, the way he leans on his stick and let’s the flex of the stick do the work is amazing, it does come off his blade like a bullet. For a smaller guy he can really rip it.