Bedard projected to be No. 1 pick in 2023 NHL Draft
Regina center with 'elite everything' likened to Hall of Famer Dionne
The right-shot center (5-foot-9, 181 pounds) was fourth in the WHL with 100 points (51 goals, 49 assists) in 62 games as an alternate captain in his second season in the league. He set a Regina record for most goals in a season by a 16-year-old, passing Jeff Friesen's 45 goals in 1992-93, and he had the most points by a 16-year-old (Doug Wickenheiser, 88, 1977-78).
"He's elite hockey sense, elite skill, elite everything," Peter Sullivan of NHL Central Scouting said. "But when he does get frustrated out there, he's not afraid to give it back, which is a good sign. I compared him to [Hockey Hall of Famer] Marcel Dionne since he played the same way. Guys didn't want to fool around with [Dionne] because he would go right back at them, and yet he didn't have a lot of penalty minutes."
Sullivan, who specializes in scouting players from the WHL, has evaluated NHL draft prospects the past 25 years with Central Scouting and is its longest-tenured member.
"Skill wise he's not only quick but has two or three gears and it's legit," Sullivan said. "I mean, the most famous player that had five or six gears was Bobby Orr, and this is what [Bedard] has. He's got a gear that can go from 1-to-60 in two seconds; he's that special a player."
Bedard, who turns 17 years old July 17, tied for second at the 2021 IIHF Under-18 World Championship with 14 points (seven goals, seven assists) in seven games to help Canada win the tournament, including a goal and an assist in a 5-3 win against Russia in the championship game. He had seven points (six goals, one assist) in four games as captain for Canada in a second-place finish at the 2022 U-18s.
"What really stands out to me that's impressive is the way he gets his shot off no matter what," Joey Tenute of Central Scouting said. "Even if you think that there's a stick in the lane or a guy's on him, he somehow gets a shot off and it's in the net. A lot of other players get stick on puck and the puck goes out of play. I just think he has a unique way to get his shot off the way he positions his stick where his shot is coming from."
Bedard was the seventh 16-year-old to be selected to play for Canada at the IIHF World Junior Championship when he was named to the team for the 2022 tournament, joining Wayne Gretzky (1978), Eric Lindros (1989), Jason Spezza (2000), Jay Bouwmeester (2000), Sidney Crosby (2004) and Connor McDavid (2014). In two games, Bedard had five points (four goals, one assist), including a hat trick in an 11-2 win against Austria. He was the first 16-year-old to score a hat trick for Canada at the WJC since Gretzky did so twice in 1977.
The tournament was postponed after four days of play when the United States, Czechia and Russia each had to forfeit a preliminary-round game after players tested positive for COVID-19. It has been rescheduled for Aug. 9-20 in Edmonton.
Bedard had 28 points (12 goals, 16 assists) in 15 games as a 15-year-old with Regina in 2020-21 after becoming the first player to be granted exceptional player status into the WHL in March 2020.
"I think if you try to physically go at him and make things tough for him, he just has the ability to rise above that," Swift Current general manager Chad Leslie said. "He's comfortable in traffic, absorbs physicality and needs a very small margin of space to make you pay."
In addition to Bedard, there are other players vying for top billing at the 2023 draft.
Center Adam Fantilli (6-3, 192) of Chicago of the United States Hockey League, right wing Matvei Michkov (5-10, 159) of SKA St. Petersburg of the Kontinental Hockey League, Slovakia-born center Dalibor Dvorsky (6-1, 190) of AIK in Allsvenskan, Sweden's second division, and center Brayden Yager (6-foot, 161) of Moose Jaw (WHL) are four blue-chip players projected to go early in the first round.
Fantilli, who will attend the University of Michigan in 2022-23, was named First Team All-USHL after finishing third in the league with 37 goals in 54 games with Chicago. His 74 points were second on the team.
"Fantilli will be in the discussion for No. 1 overall," Greg Rajanen of Central Scouting said. "He can really skate, plays with so much confidence and conviction. He moves the puck really well and has pull-away speed with the puck. He's got an NHL shot right now with a quick release and good velocity on his shot. He's a high-end elite player."
Michkov had 38 points (22 goals, 16 assists) in 22 regular-season games and 17 points, including a league-high 13 goals, in 17 playoff games with SKA-1946 St. Petersburg, which won the championship in Russia's minor league.
"A wing with all the tools needed to become a star," NHL director of European Scouting Goran Stubb said. "His acceleration is excellent and he's a heady player who seems to be a split-second ahead of the plays. He's a first-class passer capable of creating chances on almost every shift.
"At present, Michkov is the No. 1 prospect from Europe for the 2023 draft."
Dvorsky had 40 points (20 goals, 20 assists) in 33 regular-season games and six points (one goal, five assists) in six playoff games with AIK's team in Sweden's junior league. Yager had 59 points (34 goals, 25 assists) in 63 regular-season games and seven points (three goals, four assists) in 10 WHL playoff games with Moose Jaw this season.
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