Prospect Profiles: Bedard has smashed records on way to top

The NHL draft lottery is May 8, with the Blue Jackets -- who finished with the second-worst record in the league --
guaranteed a top-four pick, including a 13.5-percent chance at No. 1 overall
.
With that in mind, BlueJackets.com is taking this week to profile five players -- Connor Bedard, Leo Carlsson, Adam Fantilli, Matvei Michkov and Will Smith -- who will be in the mix to be chosen by the Jackets wherever they fall.
Of course, everyone has different opinions about the draft, and these five players aren't guaranteed to be at the top of the list being produced by general manager Jarmo Kekalainen and his scouting staff. But in looking around at pre-draft projections, Bedard, Carlsson, Fantilli, Michkov and Smith generally are seen by draft observers as the cream of the crop of this year's very deep class, as well as players who all will be high-end NHLers in the years to come.

The other profiles can be ready below.
Leo Carlsson
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Adam Fantilli
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Matvei Michkov
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Will Smith

Connor Bedard: The Vitals

Position:Center
Age: 17 (Born July 17, 2005)
Height, Weight: 5-9¾, 185
Hometown: North Vancouver, British Columbia

The Accomplishments

• Ranked the No. 1 North American skater available by NHL Central Scouting after posting a 71-72-143 line in just 57 games with Regina of the Western Hockey League.
• Led the WHL in goals, assists and points; also led all Canadian Hockey League players in goals and points.
• Had twice as many games with the Pats this season in which he recorded five or more points (10) than he did in which he failed to register a point (five).
• His 71 goals were the most by a WHL player in 24 years (Pavel Brendl, 73 in 1998-99) and his 143 points are the highest single-season total by a WHL skater in 27 years.
• Helped lead Canada to the gold medal at the IIHF World Junior Championship, leading all players in goals (nine), assists (14) and points (23). Those marks set a Team Canada record for points in a single World Juniors tournament and marked the highest single-tournament total ever by a player at age 17 or younger.
• Was named Most Valuable Player, Best Forward and a tournament all-star at the 2023 World Juniors.
• Also helped Canada to gold at the WJC in the summer of 2022, posting a 4-4-8 line in seven games.

The Hype

Well, when it comes to hype, you won't find much more than what surrounds Bedard.
He's already become a celebrity in hockey circles, as his immense talent and production both with club and country making him one of the most celebrated players to enter the draft in years. The word "generational talent" gets used a lot in hockey, but Bedard appears to deserve the label given some of the company he's been compared to at his young age.
"Connor Bedard is one of those unique, elite talents who belongs in the same category as other generational talents before him such as Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby," Dan Marr, vice president of NHL Central Scouting, said. "He has been in the spotlight for the past three years and during that time he has risen to impact and impress on every occasion while often being the youngest member of the team.
"He is an exceptional young man on and off the ice and has constantly shown all season long that he is the No. 1 prospect for the 2023 NHL Draft."
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The Pipeline Podcast: Draft Lottery Preview with Chris Peters
That's high praise considering it comes from one of the most neutral observers out there, but you won't find many analysts who will disagree with the take that Bedard is one of the most talented players to be available in years. There's a reason the TSN crew created the "

" video, after all, and most analysts put him in the category of McDavid and Crosby, two of the most consistent and electrifying players of the past two decades.
Bedard has a well-rounded game, including strength and physical ability that belie his average size, but what seems to stand out the most is his shot. He's filled up the net everywhere he's been to this point, and many who have watched him play say the way he fires the puck is unlike anyone currently playing in the NHL.
Watch: Youtube Video
It's elite whether he's taking a one-timer or a wrist shot, with the former's power and the latter's deceptiveness taking it to the next level. The Athletic prospect analyst Scott Wheeler compares his ability to shape his shot at the release to Tampa Bay's Nikita Kucherov.
There's more to his game, though, as Bedard has been a constant offensive threat everywhere he has played.
"There are few players that come along where you think every time they have the puck, something is going to happen,"
FloHockey analyst Chris Peters writes
. "Bedard is one. He is a threat every time he hops over the boards."