Bedard expectations high, could have impact this season, NHL players say

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NASHVILLE -- Connor Bedard is ready for the NHL, according to those already there.

Bedard, who was selected by the Chicago Blackhawks with the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, has already impressed some of the biggest stars in the NHL.

"There's a lot of pressure that comes with being a first overall pick, especially one as highly touted as him," Steven Stamkos, the No. 1 pick by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2008 NHL Draft, said. "I'm not sure I was in the same category as that coming up, but he's got his head on his shoulders right. He comes from what I can tell is a good family and the skill speaks for itself. We've all seen the videos of him shooting pucks and in the gym, the work ethic is there as well, and I'm excited to see what he can do next year."

Many NHLers are predicting big things for Bedard, with several players saying that he could average a point per game as a rookie next season.

Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers, the No. 1 pick in the 2015 NHL Draft, wouldn't put a number on the points Bedard could score as a rookie, but he said doubting the 17-year-old would be a fool's errand.

"It's tough to put a number on guys like that. You never know what he's going to do," McDavid said. "He seems to exceed expectations every single time there is one put on him. We'll see."

McDavid trained with Bedard last offseason at a camp run by Gary Roberts, the retired NHL forward and trainer for many of the biggest stars in the game.

"It seems like he's got a good head on his shoulders," McDavid said, adding that Bedard shouldn't feel any pressure from outsiders. "I think I put more pressure on myself than any of the expectations that [were] out there. It all kind of came from within and I'm sure he's the same way."

There are expectations, though. How could there not be?

The Regina center led the Western Hockey League in goals (71) and points (143), and among the awards and honors he has received were the most valuable player at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship after helping Canada win the gold medal, and the Canadian Hockey League player of the year.

Cale Makar was taken at No. 4 by the Colorado Avalanche in the 2017 NHL Draft. After playing two more seasons at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, the defenseman joined the Avalanche for the 2019 postseason, scoring six points (one goal, five assists) in 10 games. He says he knows the pressure Bedard will face.

"I've seen his shot, it's pretty incredible," Makar said. "That's tough to pinpoint, but I feel like 50 [points] is a really good number. You're coming from a junior league and going to an 82-game season so there is going to be transition points, but everybody is going to expect a lot from him."

Owen Power, the No. 1 pick in the 2021 NHL Draft, took the NHL by storm this season with 35 points (four goals, 31 assists) in 79 games. The Buffalo Sabres defenseman finished third in the voting for the 2023 Calder Trophy, awarded to the League's top rookie.

He has huge expectations for Bedard.

"I don't want to say I'll put a certain amount of points on it, but he's obviously a generational talent and is going to make an impact as soon as he steps foot in the League," Power said. "I think he's going to be a guy that's going to be fun to watch for years to come and we'll see how he does this year."

A few players were willing to say Bedard could approach 80 points in the 2023-24 season, even though only four players -- Alex Ovechkin (106), Sidney Crosby (102), Evgeni Malkin (85) and Mathew Barzal (85) -- have topped 80 points as a rookie since the 2000-01 season.

New Jersey Devils forward Nico Hischier, the No. 1 pick in the 2017 NHL Draft, scored 52 points (20 goals, 32 assists) in his rookie season of 2017-18. He said he believes Bedard will be a point-per-game player and finish with 82 points. Arizona Coyotes forward Clayton Keller, the No. 7 pick in the 2016 NHL Draft, also was in that neighborhood, choosing 80 points as his target for Bedard.

"I mean, after seeing his highlights and stuff, I think he can be really effective right from the beginning," Hischier said.