There are those players who were identified in their early teens as possible superstars: Eric Lindros, Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid.
Connor Bedard is now also part of the lot. In his first season last year in the Western Junior League, at just 15 years old, the youngster from North Vancouver amassed a staggering 28 points in 15 games, at an age when the normal hockey player has not. no access to such a level.
Bedard became the seventh player in history to secure a position with the Canadian junior team at just 16 in early December, after Wayne Gretzky, Lindros, Jason Spezza, Jay Bouwmeester, Crosby and McDavid.
After being used sparingly on Sunday against the Czech Republic, Bedard, likely first overall pick in the NHL’s 2023 draft, had a blast against Austria on Wednesday with four goals, in an 11-2 victory.
You obviously have to put your performance in context. In 23 games at the World Junior Championship, Austria have yet to win and suffered a 7-1 thaw at the hands of the Finns in their opener.
And Bedard scored the first of his four goals when victory was already beyond the reach of the poor Austrians, outscored 64-22 in shots.
I’m not convinced this game didn’t help either club. Nobody really learned from this meeting …
Dave Cameron, Canadian team coach
Regardless of the opponent, it still takes daring and talent to score four times in a World Junior Championship at just 16 years old.
He became the first 16-year-old Canadian player to score four goals in a World Junior Championship game. Bedard also equaled a record for the number of goals in the same meeting, all ages combined.
“Connor doesn’t need me when the puck is on the paddle of his club,” said Dave Cameron. He does not have the status of exceptional player for nothing. We have to help these offensive players to improve in defensive territory so that they can make the transition to attack. ”
His five points in two games put Bedard second among the 16-year-olds with the Canadian team, on a par with Crosby, far behind Gretzky, however, who had obtained 17.
“Playing with these guys makes it easy,” said a modest Bedard after the game. But it’s surreal to see my name associated with Sidney Crosby. ”
We would obviously be even more excited in Montreal if the Canadiens’ season of misery had taken place during the young man’s year of admission, in 2022-2023. Who knows if Montreal won’t be so bad next year?
The likely top pick of 2022, 17-year-old Shane Wright, has been much more low-key, with some help in this massacre. But Wright, a right-handed center like Bedard, has neither the talent nor the explosiveness nor the aura of the other, even if he has undeniable qualities, including reliability in defense, in addition to a some offensive flair.
Canada’s next two games, in its weak section, will be against Germany and Finland. It is undoubtedly the only drinkable adversary of the Canadians. It will be interesting to see if Bedard has gained enough confidence to deliver a strong performance.
The young man will be back at the World Championship next year, but probably not the following year since he will possibly be selected by the team which will have drafted him in first place.