Carter Yakemchuk made one promise to himself when he was preparing to play against Connor Bedard last season.
"I just didn't want to get toe-dragged against," the right-shot defenseman with Calgary of the Western Hockey League said. "Going up against him was a little nerve-racking, to be honest.
"He never toe-dragged me, but he was really good."
Bedard, a center who played three seasons with Regina of the WHL before being selected by the Chicago Blackhawks with the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, had nine points (five goals, four assists) in three games against Yakemchuk and Calgary last season, while Yakemchuk had three points (one goal, two assists) in those games.
Yakemchuk (6-foot-3, 190 pounds) is No. 6 on NHL Central Scouting's midterm ranking of North American skaters eligible for the 2024 NHL Draft. He leads WHL defensemen with 26 goals and 239 shots on goal in 56 games, and his 60 points are tied for fourth.
He's one of several players from the Canadian Hockey League not surprised with how well Bedard has adjusted to life in the NHL.
Bedard leads the Blackhawks and NHL rookies with 40 points (17 goals, 23 assists) in 46 games. That includes seven points (two goals, five assists) in seven games since returning to the lineup Feb. 15 after missing 14 games because of a fractured jaw sustained Jan. 5.
Henry Mews, a right-shot defenseman with Ottawa of the Ontario Hockey League, has been impressed with Bedard's play as well as his off-ice demeanor.
"Bedard's on another planet," said Mews, No. 27 on Central Scouting's midterm ranking. "I think he's really humble, works really hard, and even though he's the best, is always working to get better. He's pretty amazing."
NHL.com spoke with seven other top prospects eligible for the 2024 draft for thoughts on Bedard (Central Scouting midterm ranking of North American skaters in parenthesis):
Macklin Celebrini (No. 1), C, Boston University (NCAA)
"I mean, you see he's a special player. You see what he does, and I think what's most impressive is making that jump from junior hockey to the National Hockey League. It's impressive and cool to watch."
Berkly Catton (No. 9), C, Spokane (WHL)
"I'm not really surprised at all. Whenever I see these videos, he's the first guy on the ice, last guy off. Blackhawks defenseman Kevin Korchinski is one of my best buddies on his team and says the same thing. He's just a kid who loves hockey and he's super special, but I think he's just a guy who constantly wants to improve. You can see it and it's remarkable what he's been able to do with the amount of pressure he's had, so a credit to him."
Tij Iginla (No. 11), C, Kelowna (WHL)
"I think he's obviously super talented and it's really amazing what he's been able to do with the Blackhawks this year. How he's been able to have so much success at the NHL level as an 18-year-old is super impressive."
Andrew Basha (No. 18), LW, Medicine Hat (WHL)
"It's unbelievable what he's doing in the NHL at such a young age. I definitely had no doubt he would do that. I mean, just playing against him the past couple years, you see the type of player he is. I obviously haven't played in the NHL so I don't know what that competition is like from a personal level, but I never doubted he'd be doing what he did. He's such a good player. It's great to see him doing well."
Maxim Masse (No. 23), RW, Chicoutimi (QMJHL)
"There's not many like him and the way he sees the game, can control whatever situation, is special. His shot is what stands out to me. He's just moving up so fast ... was in the WHL at 15 and [drafted] in the NHL at 17. He can play in whatever situation you put him in, so I think that's his biggest asset right there."
Julius Miettinen (No. 49), C, Everett (WHL)
"I would say he's one of the best players with the puck right now. Even if he doesn't have a scoring chance, he'll create one out of nowhere. His shot is top tier; that's one thing I would want in my game."
Lukas Fischer (No. 55), D, Sarnia (OHL)
"To be honest with you, the fact he's 18 years old, goes to the NHL and is the best player on his team, is pretty unbelievable. Everybody's known he's been a special player since he was 13 years old, but I think the fact that he came in and is already dominant this quickly, that just adds to his resume."
