Bedard’s showing at world juniors has Pats players and staff buzzing

In case the hockey world hasn’t figured it out yet, Connor Bedard is really good at hockey.

The 17-year-old Regina Pats phenom and potential first-overall pick in the 2023 NHL draft left hockey fans around the world speechless Monday.

First, Bedard set career records for goals and points by a Canadian at the world junior hockey championship during Canada’s quarterfinal against Slovakia.

He then capped off the historic night when he danced around two Slovakian players and the goalie in overtime to score a goal that sent Canada to a semifinal Wednesday against the United States.

The OT goal in Canada’s 4-3 victory could be described as something you only see in a video game.

On Tuesday, Pats head coach-GM John Paddock said it’s tough to put into words what Bedard is doing on junior hockey’s biggest stage.

“I got a lot of texts (Monday) night from people I’ve known for a long time and I ended up saying to half a dozen of the texts that, ‘You don’t know what to say.’ There’s no words to describe it,” he said.

“Any player doing what he’s doing if they were 19 would be catching the hockey world’s attention. But at 17, he’s shattered all the records of older players. It’s unheard of what he’s doing.”

Paddock said in the leadup to the overtime winner Monday, Bedard was buzzing and had tons of different looks, but couldn’t get the puck past the Slovakian goaltender.

Paddock said it’s the biggest moment Bedard has risen to so far in his career, but Paddock noted it’s not the first time he has seen Bedard do special things on the ice.

When the Pats played in the Regina hub during the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2021, Bedard had 28 points in just 15 games as a 15-year-old.

He also had sensational performances at the under-18 world hockey championship in Texas in 2020 and at the world junior tournaments in 2021 and 2022.

“Those kind of guys, there’s no other way to say it other than they have a knack for the big stage. He certainly has the ability to rise to the occasion,” Paddock said.

Bedard’s linemate, Tanner Howe, said he was shaking when he saw Bedard undress the Slovakian skaters in overtime.

“I don’t expect anything less from him. He’s got so much skill in the world,” Howe said. “I’m super-proud of him to see what he can do and hopefully he keeps going from there.”

Bedard enters Wednesday’s game against the U.S. with eight goals and 21 points in five games during the 2023 edition of the tournament. He has 16 goals and 34 points in 14 games in his world junior career.

Pats winger Borya Valis said it wasn’t the first time he had seen the move Bedard made on the Slovakians.

“He’s been doing that move for the two years he’s been here,” Valis said. “I kind of knew that once the puck got on his stick it was all his show and his time.”

Valis said that while he’s an American, he’ll be cheering for Bedard and Pats defenceman Stanislav Svozil — who’s playing for Czechia at the world juniors — as they look to make it to Thursday’s final in Halifax.

Canada’s semifinal matchup with the United States on Wednesday can be heard live on 980 CJME and 650 CKOM, with the pregame show starting at 5 p.m.