Connor Bedard, the #1 rated prospect in the 2023 NHL Draft Class, skated on the top line at Team Canada's practice today, just three days before their first game a the 2022 World Junior Championship.
Now you might be thinking, 'he's amazing, obviously he's on the top line.' Which would be fair to say, he is really, really good.
He is also the youngest player on the team by almost two calendar years and is the only undrafted player on Team Canada. Generally, it is atypical for such a young player to garner top-line consideration this early in the tournament.
Joining Bedard on Canada's top unit are Mason MacTavish (ANA) and
Joshua Roy (MTL):
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Bedard, 17, scored 100 points in 62 games for the Regina Pats (next best on the team was 69 [nice]) and had 5 points in 2 games for Team Canada before the 2022 World Juniors was postponed. At that point, Bedard was only the 7th Canadian to earn a WJC roster spot age 16, joining
Sidney Crosby, Jay Bouwmeester,
Connor McDavid, Jason Spezza, Eric Lindros, and Wayne Gretzky.
Whether or not Bedard becomes a mainstay on Canada's top-line depends on how the trio of Roy, MacTavish and himself produce. Perhaps as well, if the rest of the team begins to struggle, head coach Dave Cameron could opt to spread the wealth. Nevertheless, Canada will most definitely field a dominant group once again and attempt to wrangle the gold medal out of the grip of the Americans.
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