Bedard says he plans to work on net-front scoring this offseason

The 2023 NHL Scouting Combine presented by adidas is taking place this week at KeyBank Center and LECOM HarborCenter in Buffalo. The combine will allow NHL teams the opportunity to conduct interviews and provide physical and medical assessments of the top prospects eligible for the 2023 Upper Deck NHL Draft. NHL.com will bring you all the sights and sounds from the event.

BUFFALO --Connor Bedard couldn't conceal a wide grin when asked if he would ever have an issue with someone touching his hockey sticks prior to pregame warmups.

"I wouldn't like it at all, for sure," said Bedard, who is projected to be selected by the Chicago Blackhawks with the No. 1 pick in the 2023 draft. "I've had it happen a few times, and some games I've played well, but for me, I don't know why, it's just something that I don't really like.

"I think I saw Sidney Crosby do it and I kind of wanted to be like him, so I started doing it when I was pretty young and it's stuck with me, I guess."

Because of the way the 17-year-old center dominated with Regina of the Western Hockey League this season, it's hard to fathom the idea that having his sticks touched by someone prior to warmups would have made any difference.

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Bedard (5-foot-10, 185 pounds) led the WHL in goals (71) and points (143) and was tied for first in assists (72) in 57 games last season. He is the first player in the WHL to have more than 140 points in a season since 1995-96.

Bedard also had 20 points (10 goals, 10 assists) in seven games in the WHL playoffs, when Regina was eliminated by Saskatoon in the first round. He is the first WHL player to score at least 10 goals in a single postseason series since 2012.

As a result, Bedard won the Canadian Hockey League Top Prospect and David Branch Player of the Year awards, as well as the CHL Top Scorer award last week, becoming the first player to win all three in the same season since the Top Scorer award was introduced in 1994. He also is the first to win three trophies at the CHL Awards since center Connor McDavid won the Top Prospect, Player of the Year and Scholastic Player of the Year awards with Erie of the Ontario Hockey League in 2015. McDavid was selected No. 1 by the Edmonton Oilers in the 2015 NHL Draft.

Bedard, who is No. 1 in NHL Central Scouting's final ranking of North American skaters presented by BioSteel, arrived in Buffalo on Tuesday and met with the Blackhawks on Wednesday afternoon. He is scheduled to interview with five more teams prior to fitness testing Friday and Saturday.

Ahead of that, Bedard discussed his offseason goals, inline hockey, the excitement of the NHL Draft and more in a Q&A with NHL.com:

What are you most excited about when it comes to the Scouting Combine?

"I think there's a lot. It's good to be with a lot of guys that I know, meet a lot of the other high draft-eligible players, meet with the NHL teams, and the whole part of the testing process as well. It'll be a pretty fun week."

What are your offseason plans and what area of your game do you wish to improve?

"I think, obviously, my goal is to make that jump to the next level. Whether that happens or not, I'm going to try to do everything I can in the gym and on the ice to try to make that happen. I think something I could maybe do more is score or create more in and around the net. That's where goals are scored a lot. I think I did better at that this year than [when I was 16]. I had more goals in that area, but I think if you want to score goals at the highest level, that's going to be somewhere you got to go. I'm not saying I don't go there, but maybe have a little more finesse there and score some more of those kind of in-tight (goals)."

Have you been doing research on the city of Chicago?

"I mean, for me, nothing's kind of final yet. I think you got to wait until the NHL Draft, obviously. Whoever decides to take me, I'd be incredibly excited, but there's so many great players. ... We'll see what happens in Nashville (on June 28)."

Do you think you'll have any questions for NHL teams during the interviewing part of the combine?

"It depends on how the conversation is going. I think there's definitely some things you want to ask, kind of what they want to see out of you, that sort of thing. There's only so many players they have time to interview, so if there's time at the end, I'll probably throw in a few questions."

What do you feel is your best quality off the ice?

"I think I'm pretty good with people. I think my mom is really good like that. I feel she's always a really good talker and I think I'm good with that kind of thing, with people and friends, and helping people out a bit."

Who was the hardest NHL Draft-eligible player you went up against this season?

"A lot of good players, for sure. I mean, everyone was tough, but I think it was Nate Danielson (of Brandon of the WHL, who is No. 7 on Central Scouting's final ranking of North American skaters). He was actually on me the most. He was the one shadowing me a little bit, so he was probably the guy that maybe gave me the hardest game. But he's so fast, so skilled, so if you turned it over, he was going to go down and do something. He's a great player, so it was a pretty fun battle between the two of us."

What do you enjoy most about playing inline hockey in the North Shore Inline Hockey Adult League in Vancouver during the offseason?

"It's not about getting in shape because you're working out all the time and skating, but it's a lot of fun and I've played since I was 6 or 7 years old. I've been playing a long time and the league is good. We got some pretty good players and it's really competitive. It's really good in the summer to get that in. It's a lot of fun and you're able to be so creative out there, and that benefits you on the ice."

Can you just describe what it took to develop the shot that you have in your arsenal right now?

"I mean, for me, it's something I'm always doing, whether at home or on the ice. I've spent countless hours on it, and still do. It's something I enjoy and something I just want to get better at. Just being able to go in my backyard, shoot and try to work on it there, that's obviously super helpful. I've spent a lot of time on it, for sure."

What do you think the NHL draft in Nashville will be like for you?

"I try not to think about it too much, but when you're kind of in bed or just chilling, you have to think about it a lot ... just how close it is. Having my family and friends there will be super exciting, my parents and grandparents, relatives, some coaches and some buddies as well. I think that's the biggest thing for whoever is getting drafted, to have that support system and the people who have helped them so much along the way. To kind of be able to celebrate that with them is going to be great."

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