HALIFAX, Nova Scotia — Connor Bedard was as consistent off the ice as he was on it, deftly handling questions about one of the greatest performances in World Junior Championship history as he did defenders.
The projected no. 1 pick in the 2023 Upper Deck NHL Draft led all players with 23 points (nine goals, 14 assists) and was named the tournament’s top forward and most valuable player, helping Canada win gold.
“No one’s going to remember that from our group in 20 years,” Bedard said after a 3-2 overtime win against Czechia in the gold-medal game Thursday. “We’re going to look at our gold medal. We’re not going to look at stats or anything.”
The performance by Bedard was dazzling, but some of his teammates believe he can be even better.
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“I think the ceiling’s infinitely high for him,” goalie Thomas Milic (2023 draft eligible) said. “He’s an incredible player and he keeps showing time after time that there is no limit to his game.”
There was very little that limited Bedard during the seven games he played in Halifax. He set a record for most points by a Canadian player at the World Juniors, breaking the record of 18 set by Dale McCourt (1977) and Brayden Schenn (2011), and his 14 assists set a single-tournament Canada record, two more than Jason Allison had at the 1995 WJC.
Bedard had the fourth-best point total ever at a World Juniors, behind Sweden forward Peter Forsberg (31, 1993), Sweden forward Markus Naslund (24, 1993) and Finland forward Raimo Helminen (24, 1984). It also was the most points in a World Juniors by a 17-year-old, breaking the mark of 18 set by Czechoslovakia forward Jaromir Jagr in 1990.
The only game in which Bedard did not have a point was the gold-medal game.
Still, he still earned rave reviews for his play.
“It was an unbelievable performance,” Canadian forward Shane Wright (Seattle Kraken) said. “I’m running out of things to say about how unbelievable his whole performance was this entire tournament. How mature he’s been, how much of a good teammate he’s been to every single guy. … Even though he didn’t get a point tonight he’s still by far the MVP of the tournament, still by far the best player in the tournament.”
Although the stats and records stand out, Canada coach Dennis Williams said it was the constant team-first attitude that endeared Bedard to his teammates.
“I think a good characteristic about Connor Bernard is not only his elite skill set and playmaking, but he’s shown that he’s a proven winner, in and out of the tournament,” Williams said. “I think a lot of people look at him just for what he does on the ice and don’t realize just how humble and cerebral of a kid he is. I couldn’t imagine being in his shoes with the amount of attention, the pressure that he gets put on him night in and night out… He’s mature beyond his age out there.
“At the end of the day, I truly believe the one thing I’ve learned from him is that he cares about winning more than anything else out there.”
Next for Bedard is a return to Regina of the Western Hockey League, where he’s been just as outstanding. Despite not playing a game since Dec. 4 Because of the World Juniors, he leads the WHL with 64 points (27 goals, 37 assists), and has a 27-game point streak.
Regina plays Friday, against Seattle, where Milic plays. It’s unlikely Bedard gets back into the lineups that quickly, but his focus has already turned to helping Regina improve through the second half of the season and get to the Memorial Cup, the championship for the 60 Canadian Hockey League clubs that play in the WHL. Ontario Hockey League and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.
“That’s what I think all the guys in the CHL want to do,” he said. “That’s what you go into the season with the goal in mind, obviously. I’ll kind of enjoy this right now … but once I get back into Regina, we’ve got to jump into there and I’m looking forward to that.”
Further into the future is the NHL draft on June 28-29 in Nashville.
“There’s still so much time to go,” Bedard said. “I’m focused on winning [the World Juniors] right now and enjoying that and then getting back to Regina trying to try to play well there. For myself, it’s taking it one day at a time and kind of not looking too far ahead.”
After Regina plays Seattle on Friday, it plays Calgary on Sunday then Saskatoon on Jan. 13.
Whenever Bedard returns to dominating the WHL, those who know him believe he can be even better for having gone through the World Juniors experience, where the 17-year-old stood out against players with NHL and American Hockey League experience.
“I think this tournament can really help a player, whether you’re playing really well or you’re learning from mistakes,” said defenseman Olen Zellweger (Anaheim Ducks), who plays for Everett in the WHL, which beat Regina 4-3. on Oct. 29 but Bedard had a goal and an assist. “I think it could definitely help moving forward. … I don’t know how much better he can get. But as of right now, he’s very, very good.”
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