C Connor Bedard - Regina Pats, WHL (2023 Draft) Part 5

[Bfan14]

Thats cute... and how do you plan on building around Bedard exactly? You trade Suzuki or Caule?

You have a good prospect pool aiming to be really good top 6 forwards. If you're ok with partying ways with your newly assigned Captain, i''m all in. I don't see your captain playing 2nd C and I surely don't see Cole playing on the second line. So you're telling me you're confortable with a smurfs line once again? You know you do that and bedard's life span wont be very long.

This is why a Leo Carlsson will fit like a glove in this current Habs core and you don't need to worry about making no trades. Leo can play on the wing and at C very very comfortably and automatically adds some much needed quality strength on your top 6.

The choice here is really between a Bughatti vs Lamborghini Taurus. Sure the Bughatti is more expensive but you cant use it for day to day. The Taurus is still upper luxuary but is alot more practical and requires less maintenance.

You can't afford to go just for the looks, you need something practical and Leo is just that. He's the Dhalin on forwards.

Yeah, screw taking the borderline Generational prospect when you can take the future #2C who's bigger.

I truly hope this is the same thought process the Habs management has if they end up with the 1st overall pick

 

[Bombshell11]

Can't you stablize your team just as well with bedard as your first centre and Suzuki on your second? that sounds pretty good to me. and who knows? maybe bedard at his size ends up playing wing in the NHL We don't know for sure yet.What we do know is you take the best player available, especially with what looks to be a good bet as being a franchise player, the guy has dominated at every level he's ever played at and always as a younger player......................he will sell tickets and can be marketed like crazy too, it's all win'win. Crazy to pass him up for Leo, doesn't make sense................the gap between them as prospects at this stage is just too wide, you don't gamble like that.

Who would i take between Bedard and Dahlin both at their same age going into this draft?..............Bedard, most everyone else would too I bet.

I'm sure everyone else would pick Bedard, thats not the question. Say you had a ferrari at home but no suv. You want to buy a second car but say you have a budget cap and have to take care of a family, wouldnt an suv be a more resonable option as a second car rather than another ferrari?

A generational (allegedly) talent needs alot of supporting cast, he'll get hit, get concussed if you don't take care of him properly. Also, Crosby had another Gen talent in his roster in Malkin. Towes had Kane (vice versa).
The canadiens would have to re-rebuild pretty much... Slaf is not that second "gen" talent that would be complementing Bedard.

And Leo is no Slaf ... you're not taking a super raw project who's hockey IQ is questionable just because he's tall and heavy. You're taking someone who's ready to play in the NHL as top 6 forwad and who could easely progress into becoming better than Bedard, i also happen to prefer the Swedish doctrine of hockey and in general Swedish players have done exceptionally well in the NHL as stars. Sundin, Sedins, Alfredssons... to name a few.

Im not saying picking Bedard is a bad option, i dont think its the right option for every team, most likely most.... sure... but for my team the habs... i don't believe so.

 

[jj cale]

I'm sure everyone else would pick Bedard, thats not the question. Say you had a ferrari at home but no suv. You want to buy a second car but say you have a budget cap and have to take care of a family, wouldnt an suv be a more resonable option as a second car rather than another ferrari?

A generational (allegedly) talent needs alot of supporting cast, he'll get hit, get concussed if you don't take care of him properly. Also, Crosby had another Gen talent in his roster in Malkin. Towes had Kane (vice versa).
The canadiens would have to re-rebuild pretty much... Slaf is not that second "gen" talent that would be complementing Bedard.

And Leo is no Slaf ... you're not taking a super raw project who's hockey IQ is questionable just because he's tall and heavy. You're taking someone who's ready to play in the NHL as top 6 forwad and who could easely progress into becoming better than Bedard, i also happen to prefer the Swedish doctrine of hockey and in general Swedish players have done exceptionally well in the NHL as stars. Sundin, Sedins, Alfredssons... to name a few.

Im not saying picking Bedard is a bad option, i dont think its the right option for every team, most likely most.... sure... but for my team the habs... i don't believe so.

I think Canadian players have done pretty well themselves haven't they? The Canadian doctrine seems to be just fine, they've had the majority of the best players of all time after all.


I dunno where you're going anymore with this really but if you think it makes sense to draft carlsson ahead of Bedard so be it I guess. Everyones entitled to their opinion.

Hughes won't do that if given the choice though, no G.M would.

 

[Bombshell11]

I think Canadian players have done pretty well themselves haven't they? The Canadian doctrine seems to be just fine, they've had the majority of the best players of all time after all.


I dunno where you're going anymore with this really but if you think it makes sense to draft carlsson ahead of Bedard so be it I guess. Everyones entitled to their opinion.

Hughes won't do that if given the choice though, no G.M would.

Yeah we've stretched this so far.. only 5 hours of sleep man, my brain is not processing any more

I guess time will tell, last year it was all about Wright, now he's in the OHL.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

I'm sure everyone else would pick Bedard, thats not the question. Say you had a ferrari at home but no suv. You want to buy a second car but say you have a budget cap and have to take care of a family, wouldnt an suv be a more resonable option as a second car rather than another ferrari?

A generational (allegedly) talent needs alot of supporting cast, he'll get hit, get concussed if you don't take care of him properly. Also, Crosby had another Gen talent in his roster in Malkin. Towes had Kane (vice versa).
The canadiens would have to re-rebuild pretty much... Slaf is not that second "gen" talent that would be complementing Bedard.

And Leo is no Slaf ... you're not taking a super raw project who's hockey IQ is questionable just because he's tall and heavy. You're taking someone who's ready to play in the NHL as top 6 forwad and who could easely progress into becoming better than Bedard, i also happen to prefer the Swedish doctrine of hockey and in general Swedish players have done exceptionally well in the NHL as stars. Sundin, Sedins, Alfredssons... to name a few.

Im not saying picking Bedard is a bad option, i dont think its the right option for every team, most likely most.... sure... but for my team the habs... i don't believe so.

No, you’re talking about this, and it’s not being supported by anything except height, I guess, if you want to call that “support”.

 

[Panthaz89]

100%, but it does support my case saying earlier this month that the CHL has regressed the last 2 years and Bedard's dominance shouldn't be taken as a true testimony of his talent vs the other international players.

Bedard is playing againts kids, who, the last 2 years have been in a lockdown for a good amount of time, probably did not receive the best training they could of have.

The Swedish (Carlsson), has been playing againts men in a non totalitarian communistic country ( a.k.a. USSR 1960s "wink" "wink" "wink")

you know every prospect in the CHL plays against kids and still a lot of them make it big and Bedard pulled down his pants and took a giant dump over his peers when they directly played against him at the WJC.

 

[GlassesJacketShirt]

When one gets lured into arguments with someone who has nothing to say about on ice play, you got played.

 

[Garbageyuk]

Is Bedard a better prospect than Crosby was at this point? His scoring pace is getting ridiculous.

 

[Bfan14]

I'm sure everyone else would pick Bedard, thats not the question. Say you had a ferrari at home but no suv. You want to buy a second car but say you have a budget cap and have to take care of a family, wouldnt an suv be a more resonable option as a second car rather than another ferrari?

A generational (allegedly) talent needs alot of supporting cast, he'll get hit, get concussed if you don't take care of him properly. Also, Crosby had another Gen talent in his roster in Malkin. Towes had Kane (vice versa).
The canadiens would have to re-rebuild pretty much... Slaf is not that second "gen" talent that would be complementing Bedard.

And Leo is no Slaf ... you're not taking a super raw project who's hockey IQ is questionable just because he's tall and heavy. You're taking someone who's ready to play in the NHL as top 6 forwad and who could easely progress into becoming better than Bedard, i also happen to prefer the Swedish doctrine of hockey and in general Swedish players have done exceptionally well in the NHL as stars. Sundin, Sedins, Alfredssons... to name a few.

Im not saying picking Bedard is a bad option, i dont think its the right option for every team, most likely most.... sure... but for my team the habs... i don't believe so.

Horrible analogy.

1. You (Habs) dont currently have a Ferrari

2. If you did, and for some weird reason were only allowed to have one, then you take the second Ferrari and trade it for your Jeep Cherokee and $750,000 instead of simply taking an SUV instead

3. Why are you comparing these kids to cars, exactly?

Also did you really just say that because the Habs currently dont have a generational type player that they're better off continuing not to draft one?

Finally, strange you listed 4 great swedish players with a combined... zero Stanley cups

 

[jj cale]

When one gets lured into arguments with someone who has nothing to say about on ice play, you got played.

I didn't get lured, I wanted to attack that viewpoint.

 

[Just Linda]

Any critisisms of Bedard isn't an attack on a person's character.

Bedard is great for sure, the lack of being able to understand he isn't perfect is just weird.

I don't think I've seen a prospect where people get this defensive about since Laine.

If you aren't prepared to listen to the critisisms of Bedard, you are setting yourself up for disappointment.

 

[Bombshell11]

Any critisisms of Bedard isn't an attack on a person's character.

Bedard is great for sure, the lack of being able to understand he isn't perfect is just weird.

I don't think I've seen a prospect where people get this defensive about since Laine.

If you aren't prepared to listen to the critisisms of Bedard, you are setting yourself up for disappointment.

And yet no one really criticized him, i for one simply argued for another pick and some people are losing their panties over it.

 

[prongertheman9]

Any critisisms of Bedard isn't an attack on a person's character.

Bedard is great for sure, the lack of being able to understand he isn't perfect is just weird.

I don't think I've seen a prospect where people get this defensive about since Laine.

If you aren't prepared to listen to the critisisms of Bedard, you are setting yourself up for disappointment.

You still got Fantilli at #1?

 

[SlafySZN]

And yet no one really criticized him, i for one simply argued for another pick and some people are losing their panties over it.

You didn’t argue for another pick, really.

Your only argument was, Carlsson=big. Which is irrelevant.

Both are not even close to be in the same tier of talent.

 

[Bombshell11]

You didn’t argue for another pick, really.

Your only argument was, Carlsson=big. Which is irrelevant.

Both are not even close to be in the same tier of talent.

ok

 

[ConnorMcMullet]

Is Bedard a better prospect than Crosby was at this point? His scoring pace is getting ridiculous.

He's every bit as good a player as Crosby and McDavid were at the same age. You could argue that he's less of a sure thing and therefore a slightly worse prospect due to some question marks (just size, really), but there's no doubt he's the best prospect since McDavid.

 

[daver]

Any critisisms of Bedard isn't an attack on a person's character.

Bedard is great for sure, the lack of being able to understand he isn't perfect is just weird.

I don't think I've seen a prospect where people get this defensive about since Laine.

If you aren't prepared to listen to the critisisms of Bedard, you are setting yourself up for disappointment.

People are not responding to criticisms, they are pointing out false narratives, cherry-picked stats, double standards, moving goalposts, and obvious confirmation biases.

He is putting up numbers in the CHL at age 17 that make only Crosby and McDavid his comparable as a prospect in the last 30 years.

 

[Bfan14]

Any critisisms of Bedard isn't an attack on a person's character.

Bedard is great for sure, the lack of being able to understand he isn't perfect is just weird.

I don't think I've seen a prospect where people get this defensive about since Laine.

If you aren't prepared to listen to the critisisms of Bedard, you are setting yourself up for disappointment.

There's a difference between criticism and saying Carlsson should go 1st because he plays against men and your team needs a big #2C over the generational prospect

 

[daver]

Is Bedard a better prospect than Crosby was at this point? His scoring pace is getting ridiculous.

Crosby scored at a higher PPG and the gap between him and the rest of the league was bigger. Statistically, Bedard is matching McDavid's age 17 season. I think there was a notable lack of high end talent in the Q that maybe inflated Crosby's numbers a bit.

Their respective WJCs are interesting. Bedard stands out the most, with McDavid performing as expected, co-leader in scoring, and Crosby playing a supporting role than a leader but that was due to him not being positioned to play a leading role due to the lockout.

These three clearly stand out from all others in the past 30 years.

 

[Dack]

I like how the gold medal game where Bedard

- Scored a goal after dragging the puck 0.5 inches offside
- Dove to spring Stankoven on a breakaway
-Set up two back door chances with neither being finished

Is held as an indictment of his play. It was his worst game but I think maybe his standard of play was so stupid high that people are exaggerating how much he struggled. Especially considering he dominated in the 1st game against the Czech's and he is 17 years old.

You're allowed to believe whatever you want but I don't know how you're selling yourselves on older prospects with less skill just because they're bigger. That's not a shot at Fantilli or Carlsson they're both fantastic prospects but they aren't Bedard.

 

[SoundwaveIsCharisma]

I actually think that Bedard being as productive and impactful as he is with some obvious concerns/weaknesses is a good thing. Skating can be something that improves, Point went from iffy to one of the top two-way Cs in the league with improvement in his skating. Hell Brian Boyle turned his career around with a notable improvement in his skating ability. If Bedard can get his skating from above average to elite (big if for sure), suddenly you've got a guy that has that much more room to grow.

 

[lomiller1]

Crosby scored at a higher PPG and the gap between him and the rest of the league was bigger. Statistically, Bedard is matching McDavid's age 17 season. I think there was a notable lack of high end talent in the Q that maybe inflated Crosby's numbers a bit.

Maybe in that particular season, but point totals close to Crosby's numbers in the Q were fairly normal at the time. Conversely only 2 players have paced at more than 2 ppg in the WHL since the 2000 season, Bedard and Stankoven. 2.5 ppg in the WHL is definitely a rarer event than Crosby's 2.7 in the Q were at the time. Eg:


1999\2000 Brad Richards 2.95 ppg
2000\01 Simon Gamache 2.56 ppg
2004\05 Crosby 2.72 ppg
2005\06 Radulov 2.45 ppg

Numbers were coming down, but 2.72 ppg wasn't off the charts for the time period.

In the WHL only 3 players have paced at higher than 2 ppg WHL since 2000:
2022\23 Bedard 2.5 ppg
2022\23 Stankoven 2.24 ppg
2000\01 Mike Comrie 2.13 ppg

Also fun, in his 15 year old season Bedard put up 1.87 ppg which would have been the highest number in more than half of all WHL seasons since 2000. That's only 15 games though.

 

[daver]

Maybe in that particular season, but point totals close to Crosby's numbers in the Q were fairly normal at the time. Conversely only 2 players have paced at more than 2 ppg in the WHL since the 2000 season, Bedard and Stankoven. 2.5 ppg in the WHL is definitely a rarer event than Crosby's 2.7 in the Q were at the time. Eg:


1999\2000 Brad Richards 2.95 ppg
2000\01 Simon Gamache 2.56 ppg
2004\05 Crosby 2.72 ppg
2005\06 Radulov 2.45 ppg

Numbers were coming down, but 2.72 ppg wasn't off the charts for the time period.

In the WHL only 3 players have paced at higher than 2 ppg WHL since 2000:
2022\23 Bedard 2.5 ppg
2022\23 Stankoven 2.24 ppg
2000\01 Mike Comrie 2.13 ppg

Also fun, in his 15 year old season Bedard put up 1.87 ppg which would have been the highest number in more than half of all WHL seasons since 2000. That's only 15 games though.

There is always a bit of a crapshoot with different CHL seasons.

In Crosby's 16 year old and 17 year old seasons, here are the best PPGs in the Q (not including Crosby's linemates):

Crosby - 04/05 - 2.72
Crosby - 03/04 - 2.29
1.92
1.70
1.60
1.56
1.54
1.43


In Bedard's 16 year old and 17 year old seasons, here are the best PPGs in the W:

Bedard 22/23 - 2.50
2.24
1.72
1.72
1.65
Bedard 21/22 - 1.61
1.61

 

[leafsfan2point0]

Barring injury I’d be extremely surprised if he’s not in the hall of fame one day.

 

[Dust]

I'm sure everyone else would pick Bedard, thats not the question. Say you had a ferrari at home but no suv. You want to buy a second car but say you have a budget cap and have to take care of a family, wouldnt an suv be a more resonable option as a second car rather than another ferrari?

A generational (allegedly) talent needs alot of supporting cast, he'll get hit, get concussed if you don't take care of him properly. Also, Crosby had another Gen talent in his roster in Malkin. Towes had Kane (vice versa).
The canadiens would have to re-rebuild pretty much... Slaf is not that second "gen" talent that would be complementing Bedard.

And Leo is no Slaf ... you're not taking a super raw project who's hockey IQ is questionable just because he's tall and heavy. You're taking someone who's ready to play in the NHL as top 6 forwad and who could easely progress into becoming better than Bedard, i also happen to prefer the Swedish doctrine of hockey and in general Swedish players have done exceptionally well in the NHL as stars. Sundin, Sedins, Alfredssons... to name a few.

Im not saying picking Bedard is a bad option, i dont think its the right option for every team, most likely most.... sure... but for my team the habs... i don't believe so.

You're intentionally shooting yourself in the foot with your scenario, for absolutely no reason. Even if a team felt that he wasn't the ideal fit, when the gap between him and the rest of the prospect pool is as big as it is, you draft him and trade him for an absolute haul.

I think I said this in another thread, but any GM that uses the 1OA pick to draft someone other than Bedard, is getting fired before they step off that podium.