REGINA, Saskatchewan --Connor Bedard possesses quite a few unteachable qualities and that's what makes him the best of the 2023 NHL Draft class, according to NHL Central Scouting's Peter Sullivan.
Sullivan, the longest-tenured member of Central Scouting with 27 years of service, shared his assessment of the 17-year-old center with NHL.com after a recent game.
"Elite players like him only need a crack of open space, just a split second to react, and they make things happen," he said. "And that you can't teach. It's just in their DNA and that's what makes him special."
Bedard may have had his finest hour among many special moments this season during a 5-3 win against Winnipeg at Brandt Center in Regina on March 3 when he had five points (four goals, one assist) to help rally the Pats from a 3-0 deficit. The win not only tied the biggest comeback of the season for Regina but was the club's first victory against Winnipeg since 2019-20, ending a 20-game skid (0-18-2).
"People come out of here after the first period and expect him to score five goals every period, and that's just not realistic," Sullivan said. "But he reads a play. He doesn't get excited. He lets the game come to him, doesn't force it, and that's what good players do. They let the game come to them. When that opportunity presents itself, bam, he's gone. And that's the difference between Bedard and mostly any other player in the Canadian Hockey League."
The victory by Regina was its first against Winnipeg in seven tries this season. The Pats were outscored 32-14 in the previous six losses.
"I think if you ask any player, when you're against the top teams in the league, you're going to try to play your best," Bedard said. "Not that you don't try to all the time but just that extra motivation where we want to be able to say we beat that team. To be the best, you got to beat the best, and I think that was our mindset going in against them. It felt good to beat them."
Bedard is the first player from Regina to score 60 goals within 50 games since Dale Derkatch in 1982-83. Bedard and Derkatch each reached 60 goals in 49 games.
Bedard continues to lead the Western Hockey League with 125 points (61 goals, 64 assists) in 51 games.
His hat trick against Winnipeg was the eighth of his WHL career, tying him with Jordan Eberle (2006-10) for the most in Regina history. Eberle, a forward with the Seattle Kraken, had 310 points (155 goals, 155 assists) in 254 WHL games. Bedard has 253 points (124 goals, 129 assists) in 128 games.
"Whenever your name is kind of next to his in any category, it's pretty special to have that," Bedard said. "Just because of what he's done in his career as well."
Goalie Drew Sim, who made 31 saves in the win against Winnipeg, said it might have been Bedard's best game with Regina.
"It's pretty high up there because that's a really good team, so to have him come on like that, play like that," Sim said. "He was a big factor and he was great in his own end as well. So, yes, that ranks up there with the top ones."
Here's a look at his season (thru March 13):(WHL rank in parentheses)
Games played:51
Goals-Assists-Points:61 (1st) - 64 (1st) - 125 (1st)
Points per game:2.45 (1st; minimum 10 games)
Game-winning goals:10 (2nd)
Power-play points:43 (2nd)
Short-handed goals:5 (tied for 3rd)
Shots: 325 (1st)
Plus/minus rating:plus-32 (tied for 19th)
Penalty minutes: 56
Face-off winning percentage: 53.6 (621-for-1,158)
Upcoming games:March 15: vs. Brandon; March 17: vs. Moose Jaw; March 18: at Moose Jaw; March 19: at Saskatoon
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