New level of confidence leads to new level in Connor Bedard’s game

Connor Bedard found a new gear in his game once the calendar turned to 2022.

During the first 21 games of the 2021-22 WHL season, the Regina Pats centre had 24 points — a decent mark, but below the 1.87 points per game he averaged in the WHL bubble (28 points in 15 games) last season.

But since 2022 began — and after he returned from a shortened trip to the 2022 world junior championship — Bedard has 45 points in 21 games. That’s an average of 2.14 points per game.

“Confidence-wise, it’s a little better. At the start of the year when you’re not scoring as much, you maybe are gripping your stick too tight or something like that. Just getting confidence and seeing the puck go in more as of late has been nice for sure,” Bedard said when asked about the difference in the new year.

Pats assistant coach Brad Herauf has noticed a difference in Bedard’s game as well.

“I think he’s just finding a new way to play the game a little bit,” Herauf said. “When he first came here, he was super-offensive. Whatever chances he got, he would score. He has that elite ability to score goals.

“He is playing against the best players all game and everyone knows who he is so they are trying to shut him down and play him hard so he can’t score. I think he has adjusted his game really well.

“He’s understanding how when you don’t have the puck in the game of hockey, you still need to be able to play. When you’re playing against the other team’s best players, you’ve got to be able to defend those guys too. He’s been able to do that and he is getting those tough assignments and he’s always had the ability to score when he has the puck more by learning to play without it.”

There was also another thing the 16-year-old had to adjust to in his second WHL season: Going on the road.

His first season in 2020-21 was a shortened year inside the WHL bubble at the Brandt Centre in Regina.

While Bedard said he doesn’t think it was a big adjustment, Herauf said it is something young players have to get used to.

“It wasn’t a real season last year. (It’s different) when you’re driving to play (Prince Albert) and you have to play and then have school in the morning,” Herauf said. “The bubble wasn’t a typical WHL season when you have all those extra stresses that you have and didn’t have in the bubble.

“You even see guys who are 17 or 18 and expect them to take big steps but you have to think that they missed a whole year last year. I won’t say anyone is a year behind but they’ve missed a lot of those little nuances that come with playing in the WHL and having their body ready each and every night.”

In his second season, Bedard finds himself lining up against the best other teams have to offer. It’s a challenge he welcomes.

“It’s fun,” he said. “If you’re playing against those best guys, you’re getting better. If you want to be the best, you’ve got to beat the best. It’s a lot of fun and obviously a challenge playing against some of those guys who are older and there’s a lot of good players in this league.”

But while his own fortunes have turned, the Pats are still trying to find their way into the playoffs during the final stretch of the regular season. They’re four points back of the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

The Pats can help their playoff hopes Friday against the visiting Lethbridge Hurricanes.

“It’s been in flux here lately, just (with) the world juniors getting guys back and the trade deadline and getting new people into our lineup,” Herauf said.

“We’ve got a real young group and had a lot of injuries lately, so a lot of young guys have had to step up. It’s been really nice to see what we have in the future. We have a lot of good players here and we’ve been holding the boat while the injured guys have been gone. I think we’ve got some 20-year-olds who really deserve (playing in the playoffs).

“I think it’s something special and I want to help them be a part of it. I think for a younger group and what we’ve had going forward because we are so young, it’s such invaluable experience for us to get.”

Bedard believes the Pats need to be better if they want to make the final push.

“It’s been a tough kind of second half,” he said. “We feel like there are so many games that are one-goal or overtime, which are heartbreaker games. We feel like we’ve had a lot of those.

“We feel like we’ve been playing some good hockey but in the end, you’ve got to win. We’re looking at these last 17 games and a lot of them are against those teams we’ve got to catch, so it’s going to be a big last month here and we’re looking forward to that.”