NHL Public Relations
April 18, 2023
At age 15, Bedard became the first WHL player to be granted exceptional player status to enter the league at an early age. He was the seventh player in Canadian Hockey League history to do so overall, joining John Tavares (OHL), Aaron Ekblad (OHL), Connor McDavid (OHL), Sean Day (OHL), Joe Veleno (QMJHL) and Shane Wright (OHL).
Concluded 2022-23 with 71-72—143 (57 GP), atop the WHL in goals, points and point per game (2.86), a season highlighted by a 35-game point streak. Bedard posted twice as many five-plus point outings (10 GP) as games he was held off the score sheet (5 GP). His goal total is 21 more than the next-closest skater and the most by a WHL player in 24 years (Pavel Brendl: 73 in 1998-99); meanwhile, his 143 points is the highest single-season total in 27 years (since 1995-96), when three players topped the number: Mark Deyell (159), Frank Banham (152) and Hnat Domenichelli (148).
Led all players in the opening round of the 2023 WHL Playoffs with 10-10—20 through seven contests, helping the Regina Pats, who finished sixth in the conference, push the third-seeded Saskatoon Blades to a Game 7. Bedard found the score sheet in all seven contests, tallying multi-point outings in six of those, including a hat trick and five points in Game 2.
As a child, Bedard refused to go on family trips to Disneyland because he wanted to stay home and play hockey instead. His family once convinced him to go to Hawaii, on the promise he could bring his hockey stick and inline skates. An employee at the airport remarked it was the first time in their 18 years working there that they saw someone bring a hockey stick into Hawaii.
At age 17, he is already a two-time gold medal winner at the World Junior Championship including a breakout performance at the 2023 tournament where he led all skaters in goals (9), assists (14) and points (23). Those totals allowed him to set a Team Canada record for points in a single World Junior tournament and post the highest single-tournament total by any player at age 17 or younger. He was named Most Valuable Player, Best Forward and a Tournament All-Star at the 2023 tournament.
Bedard improved his career totals at the World Junior tournament to 17-19—36 in 16 games across two events, the most career goals and points ever by a member of Team Canada. His career point total also stands tied for the fourth highest by any player in World Junior history, behind Peter Forsberg (10-32—42 in 14 GP w/ SWE), Robert Reichel (18-22—40 in 21 GP w/ CZE) and Pavel Bure (27-12—39 in 21 GP w/ RUS).
In 2021-22, Bedard (51-49—100 in 62 GP) became the youngest WHL player to score 50 goals in a season, doing so at the age of 16 years, nine months and one day. Glen Goodall of the Seattle Thunderbirds, who set the previous mark in 1986-87, had already turned 17 at the time of his 50th goal.
Bedard used to shoot pucks out on his street while wearing inline skates but had to move to the backyard after breaking a window. One of his neighbors, a professional carpenter, helped with the construction of a backyard practice area which includes a plywood platform with synthetic ice to shoot from and a net flanked by tarp to contain the pucks. Bedard continues to call shooting in his backyard his “happy place.”
In 2017, Bedard broke his wrist while playing in a game and was unable to use his right hand for about 12 weeks. He continued to drill in the back yard, practicing using only his left hand to stick-handle and work on his backhand shot – a period he believes made him stronger at the top-hand of his stick and improved his overall shot.
Bedard lists Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews as one of the players he pays close attention to, specifically working to incorporate the Matthews toe-drag and shot into his own skill set. He is no stranger to skating alongside NHL players, as he has participated in Vancouver’s “Boys of Summer Hockey League,” a 4-on-4 offseason training league that includes NHL regulars such as Islanders forward Mathew Barzal, Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly, Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Flames forward Milan Lucic.
“Well, he’s coming down to this BioSteel camp with some of the best players in the league and I would say he was one of the guys that really stuck out. You never really know, those young kids, how they’re going to do, especially coming in with a bunch of NHL players that have had success, a bunch of guys that have experience, have been in the league a long time and he seemed to me that he was very confident. I think there was one play in camp, he had a 2-on-1 with McDavid and he looked off McDavid and took a shot. We were all kind of laughing on the bench. But yeah, I think the thing with him is he moves so well laterally. Everyone talks about his shot and his ability to shoot from different angles and off a different foot each time but man, the way he moves laterally is what gives him that space to be able to do that, so pretty impressive. I think everyone’s kind of wondering how is he going to do at the next level, how’s he going to be. From what I saw, I think it’s all right there, he’s going to be special.” – Blackhawks forward Patrick Kane
“His shot is incredible. It comes off his stick so hot. I’ve really never seen anything like it. Obviously [Auston Matthews] rips the puck; I would say that’s the only shot I could really compare it to.” – Islanders forward Mathew Barzal
“I think the next generation and the young guys coming up are just so talented. You look at Bedard, he’s so skilled and can make plays at high speed and do whatever he wants on the ice. It’s impressive to see.” – Oilers forward Connor McDavid
“What a talent. He’s got a lot of skill … his shot is unreal. But his work ethic, his compete on pucks has been great to watch.” – Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner
“Everyone talks about how good a goal scorer he is, but from watching him for a short period of time, he’s able to control the play, slow down the play when he wants and find the open man. He’s a dynamic goal scorer but from the looks of things, he has such great vision that he finds his teammates and draws guys to him which forces other guys to be open and he makes that play.” – Blues forward Brayden Schenn
“It’s almost like he’s pressing random buttons on the Xbox controller, coming up with some of these dangles.” – Team Canada goaltender Thomas Milic
COURTESY NHLmedia.com
