The 2023 NHL Draft may be hockey fans’ most anticipated event of the summer thanks to a 17-year-old named Connor Bedard.
Yes, really. Even the exciting Stanley Cup Final we all just witnessed may pale in comparison to the upcoming NHL Draft on Wednesday, where one team’s fortunes will change quite significantly with the acquisition of Bedard. The Chicago Blackhawks currently hold the No. 1 overall pick and will almost certainly select Bedard in the top spot.
Hockey fans are going to hear a lot about Bedard in the weeks and months to come. So, to get you ready for the upcoming draft, let’s dive into who Bedard is and what makes him so special as a hockey player.
First, some quick facts about Connor Bedard
Date of birth: July 17, 2005
Place of birth: North Vancouver, Canada
Height and weight: 5-foot-10, 185 pounds
Position: Center
Shoots: Right
2022-23 team: Regina Pats (WHL)
2022-23 stats: 71 goals, 143 points in 57 WHL regular season games. In the playoffs, 10 goals and 20 points in seven games played.
Yes, those stats this season are real. Bedard is one special player, as he previously joined a rare group of hockey players that gained “exceptional status” to enter the WHL at an early age. Some others who are part of that club are John Tavares, Aaron Ekblad, Shane Wright, and of course, Connor McDavid.
What is Connor Bedard's playstyle like?
Bedard has become the unanimous No. 1 overall pick by NHL scouts thanks to a variety of factors. Not only is Bedard’s shot elite, his stickhandling, playmaking, and vision are all at the same extraordinary level. There are no holes to Bedard’s offensive repertoire, as he excels and electrifies in every aspect of his game. Plus, Bedard is as big of a showman as they come, as his creativity and ingenuity with the puck has wowed hockey fans in ways they never thought possible.
Honestly, words can’t describe what Bedard does on the ice, so here are all 10 of his goals from the 2023 WHL playoffs to give you a good idea of what he brings to the table.
Why is Connor Bedard the near-assured No. 1 pick at the 2023 NHL Draft?
It’s not often a generational hockey player becomes available at the NHL Draft. And for many, Bedard is the next great player to step foot on NHL ice. Much like how Sidney Crosby, Auston Matthews, and McDavid have changed the course of their respective franchises, Bedard will likely do the same for wherever he lands this summer.
Bedard has some lofty expectations to live up to once he makes it to the NHL, but hockey fans have been given no reason to doubt him given all he’s done thus far on the road to greatness.
