C Connor Bedard - Regina Pats, WHL (2023 Draft)
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Absolutely reminds me of Jack Hughes with his edgework and creativity.
Smirnov2Chistov
Fire Greg Cronin!
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How cold? I’m ice cold.
- Dec 28, 2015
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Lack of strength and explosiveness is pretty much the same thing people were saying about Michkov, lets give him time to adjust to this new challenge.
Interesting, and why is that?
J20s in Sweden is a very highly regarded league when it comes to development with a long positive track record, much moreso than WHL I'd say. Also, the route includes SHL and Allsvenskan opportunities, while players outgrowing WHL are stuck playing WHL anyway.
Can't tell you about the contract details as I'm not positive how and if he can get out of the WHL contract. In terms of him playing in the WHL though, it is just natural is all. He would be playing in the country he grew up and in a league he has heard about since he was a young kid from family, friends etc. Although Sweden's leagues are well known, there is all these factors plus the fact that the WHL is a well known development path that is proven historically when it comes to developing NHL players. Why would you go overseas to develop and play when there is just as proven of a league in your backyard? It's not like this is a prospect from Kazakhstan or wherever
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Because the WHL player contract is binding for the next 4 outside of a transfer to the NHL.
Players who outgrow the WHL by 19, are good enough for the NHL and have rarely outgrown it by the time they are not draft eligible. Whose really outgrown the CHL, McDavid and Crosby at 17? Player development doesn't always mean going up to the highest level, working at lower levels to work on clear flaws to round out your game is also an important aspect, even if certain aspects are good enough to play at a higher level. Seth Jones is a top 5 defender in the NHL, and he chose the WHL to play at as an 18-year-old for his draft year over more advanced options (Europe or the NCAA).
I mean, I know he can't play there due to having a WHL contract, I was talking about WHL being the best development path(As a development league it's well behind OHL for example and also has less results than the Swedish J20 path).
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How cold? I’m ice cold.
- Dec 28, 2015
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Not sure I would say J20 has a better track record of development compared to the WHL historically.
The WHL just had 7 first rounders and has been a D man factory for the NHL for 50+ years.
The WHL is also far and away the most physical junior league in the world, it’s particularly a more violent type of hockey compared to the European leagues and the other two CHL leagues (OHL and QMJHL).
Not that J20 in Sweden is bad or anything, it’s a very strong league. Sweden is a hockey power nation and churns excellent prospects out every year. But, I’m not certain it’s a better league for Bedard’s development. The WHL schedule and style prepares players well for the NHL grind.
I will say this though, Bedard and Savoie are likely the most highly touted forwards in the WHL in a long time. Bedard was the first player ever granted exceptional status in the WHL. It’s nice to see that he’s at least playing now before the WHL season returns.
This contract must differ for Euros though I'd imagine , they often leave after a year to go back home or even midseason sometimes after signing contracts.
Pretty sure imports differ from the standard CHL deal where the teams hold their transfer card from 16-19. It's partially tied to the college aid agreement.
Are we talking about guys drafted out of J20 who were primarily playing there at their draft date or guys who played there at some point?
OHL has a larger pool of players to pull from. Not only does it have the GTA a hotbed of young talent (McDavid, Stamkos, Tavares, Marner, Pietrangelo, Subban) and by far the most populated area in Canada, it also has the rest of Ontario and some big American states it can pull talent from (Michigan being the big one).
The only major difference between the WHL and OHL is the regions they are allocated and the travel. In general, I'd say the OHL's primary advantage predates the kids even entering the OHL, which is the access to high-level coaching, training facilities, and personal coaches based out of Toronto, which is really a hub of hockey-focused trainers (Gary Roberts, Daryl Belfry, BioSteel, etc). So, you could easily argue if you take your argument about him going to Sweden because it has a better track record that he should have just moved to Toronto at 12, played for the Toronto Marlbouroughs AAA program (Tavares, McDavid, Rick Nash, Jason Spezza, Quinn and Jack Hughes and many other NHLers came out of this AAA program, its list of alumni would surpass most European pro-clubs) and worked with the type of private coaches and trainers guys like McDavid and Tavares worked with pre-entering the CHL, combined with the level of AAA hockey in the GTHL that doesn't require the burdensome travel other regions have.
At the end of the day, the path Bedard has chosen should be effective. Its unlikely he is too good for the WHL at any point unless he ends up like Crosby/McDavid (which isn't likely), and then he'll just be there for a year at 17 and in the NHL at 18. Kids being "too good" for junior is often dramatically overstated around here. If someone like Marner can return to the OHL at 18 after averaging 2 points per game, and further round out his game enough to be an impactful NHLer at 19, I would say the list of kids who are "too good" for CHL level hockey is dramatically overstated.
Bubbles
Die Hard for Bedard 2023
Wait a minute, I thought he could only practise. Is this an intersquad game? I thought he wasn't allowed to play any games at all.
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How cold? I’m ice cold.
- Dec 28, 2015
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Nope that was a game.
For players like Bedard, you find a way to let the lad play hockey like he was born to do.
Whether that’s in Canada, Sweden, or Russia it doesn’t matter where as long as he’s playing high level hockey against kids older than him that’s all that matters. Just not in the USA, all Canadians should be at home or in Europe. Not the USA, it’s a disaster down there on so many levels, Covid is not the least of which.
He’ll be back in the WHL when some normalcy resumes in January to the hockey schedule.
Bubbles
Die Hard for Bedard 2023
Ok thanks.
Pats GM specifically said no games were allowed, so something must have changed. The WHL is scheduled to start Jan 8, 2021. There were rumors that Bedard would play in Sweden if he didn't get the ES from the WHL, so I imagined the WHL/Pats/HV71 came to an agreement (probably on insurance).
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How cold? I’m ice cold.
- Dec 28, 2015
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Yeah, I would think insurance for sure would be part of the equation but I don’t have any inside knowledge as to that particularity.
I’m glad he’s playing games though, he’ll be back in Western Canada soon enough to begin what we’re hoping is a fantastic junior career in the WHL.
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theslatcher
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He'll be in every position to succeed today with both Nybeck, & Olausson on his wings.
theslatcher
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Hockeyfrilla
Swe prospect fanatic
First assist in the same game.
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