NASHVILLE --Connor Bedard is committed to having an impact not only on the ice, but off it for whichever NHL club selects him in the 2023 Upper Deck NHL Draft.
He provided a glimpse of that Tuesday during the Top Prospects Youth Hockey Clinic at Ford Ice Center Bellevue, the practice facility of the Nashville Predators.
"I kind of think back to when you were that age and the excitement you'd have meeting guys you looked up to," Bedard said. "For us, it's pretty cool that we can kind of be those role models and have that impact on the younger generation."
Bedard, a center with Regina of the Western Hockey League, was one of five top NHL Draft-eligible prospects assisting girls and boys ages 4-8 in fundamentals during the clinic. He was joined by forwards Adam Fantilli of the University of Michigan (NCAA), William Smith with USA Hockey's National Team Development Program Under-18 team, Carey Terrance of Erie (Ontario Hockey League) and Matthew Wood of the University of Connecticut (NCAA).
"When I was a kid, I would have been really excited if some people came out to skate and for us to be able to make an impact is pretty special," Bedard said. "We had a lot of fun with that. I think for all of us, we really take pride in events like this."
Bedard is projected to be the first player chosen in the 2023 draft. The first round will be held Wednesday at Bridgestone Arena (7 p.m. ET; ESPN, SN, TVAS). Rounds 2-7 will be Thursday (11 a.m. ET; NHLN, SN, TVAS). The Chicago Blackhawks have the No. 1 pick, the Anaheim Ducks own the No. 2 pick and the Columbus Blue Jackets have No. 3.
Millie Altom of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, enjoyed her time skating with the prospects.
"They were teaching us how to get faster, play harder and get better at hockey," the 8-year-old said. "The first time my skates touched the ice was when I was 2 years old. When I was 4, I start going with my hockey coach.
"I don't know much about Connor Bedard but my friend said he watches his videos every day and he's really good out there."
Kristen Bowness, the daughter of Winnipeg Jets coach Rick Bowness, serves as the Nashville Predators director of amateur hockey and fan development. She said everyone was looking forward to the clinic and the chance to skate with future NHL stars.
"We're just trying to create as many opportunities as we can, even taking away the skating element so that kids can still learn the game, the rules, positioning," she said. "Our core group is here today but we also invited a lot of our girls that are in our Learn to Play program as well.
"We want to make a welcoming environment for girls and make it a safe space for them so if they're comfortable playing coed, they're more than welcome to, but we also want to provide that girls-only option as well."
Giving back to the fans is something Bedard does well. Regina, in fact, held two team signing events last season and the scheduled two-hour session lasted much longer since he was there from 6-to-11:30 p.m. signing autographs and taking pictures.
"The city of Regina made it pretty easy to play in front of them and in that city," Bedard said, "so to give back as much as we could was important."
Just as he and the other top prospects did on Tuesday.
"I think being able to get out there with those kids was amazing," Fantilli said. "They're just starting out and they love the game just as much as we do. Just being able to have fun with them and go out there with some former NHL players (Anson Carter, Georges Laraque, J.T. Brown) and current NHL players (Ryan Reaves, Zach Whitecloud) was really cool."
Said Wood, "It's nice to be a positive impact in the community and it makes me happy to see kids smiling and making them have a good day so it's really fun."
