Connor Bedard ready to take any role to help Canada at world juniors

Connor Bedard is ready to help Canada try to win another world junior gold medal no matter what his role is.

“Whatever line or 13th forward, whatever I am, I am going to be happy about. You can’t complain when you’re playing in the world juniors, especially at the age I am. Whatever role I’m given, I’m going to thrive in that role and when I’m on the ice, I’m going to give it my all,” Bedard said.

The 16-year-old was one of 25 players selected to wear the maple leaf at the 2022 world junior hockey championship in Alberta.

“Whether you’re 16 or 19, it doesn’t make much of a difference. It’s a dream come true after growing up and watching the tournament and compete for a gold medal for your country and being at the age I am, it’s definitely really special. It was a really cool moment when I did find out I made the team,” Bedard said.

While it’s an accomplishment for any player to make their country’s world junior team, Bedard did something extra special by making it as a 16-year-old for Canada.

Bedard joins the elite company of Wayne Gretzky, Eric Lindros, Jason Spezza, Jay Bouwmeester, Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid as the only 16-year-olds to make the team.

“You can’t get too mad hearing your name with those guys. That’s high expectations but I put a lot of — I wouldn’t say pressure on myself but I expect a lot out of myself,” Bedard said. “I don’t focus on the outside noise that much but at a tournament like this, it’s not about personal success at all. It’s about trying to win a gold medal.”

Bedard, who was the first-ever player in WHL history to be granted exceptional status by Hockey Canada, is in his second season with the Regina Pats.

In his first season, which took place inside the WHL East Division bubble in Regina, Bedard put up 28 points (12 goals, 16 assists) in 15 games.

In 2021, Bedard is averaging a point a game, with 24 (14 goals, 10 assists) in 24 games.

It’s not the first time Bedard has got a chance to compete at a international-level tournament. As a 15-year-old, Bedard was a member of the Canadian team that won gold in Texas during the IIHF world under-18 championship.

So Bedard is hoping to add another medal to Canada’s trophy case.

“I got a taste of that in U-18s and you play hockey and you hope you get those feelings of winning a championship,” he said. “It would definitely be special and something I’ve dreamed of since I was a child.”

But he knows it’s not going to be an easy task, with the world’s best junior players all trying to accomplish the same goal.

“It’s the best players from every country so everyone is going to be super-skilled and fast. It’s going to be tough being younger and playing against that competition, but I am looking forward to that challenge,” Bedard said.

Canada is to open preliminary-round play Sunday against the Czech Republic.