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Connor Bedard is currently third in NHL points total behind Macklin Celebrini and Nathan MacKinnon. The Chicago Blackhawks forward is finally showing his true potential with 37 points in the first 25 games of the season.
It has sparked talk of Bedard being included on Team Canada's roster for the Olympics. However, many NHL experts have stated that he will be excluded from the final roster, as the team does not have a defined role for Bedard in the tournament, who is expected to be in great physical shape.
Team Canada's starting lineup appeared set with players Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon, Connor McDavid, Sam Reinhart and Brayden Point already named for the Olympics and joining Mitch Marner, who was a key contributor in the top six during the team's four-nation run.
However, with Marner scoring just 25 points in 25 games, Bryan Hayes on TSN's Overdrive on Monday was asked to push Connor Bedard over the former Toronto Maple Leafs winger for the Canadian roster.
“I have to give (Bedard) so much credit, man, because this time last year and at the end of last season, I thought I had basically a 0% chance of making Canada because of the way he'd been playing, the look of the team,” Hayes said.
“He was young, he looked like he was out of the game and he wasn't ready for prime time. I didn't think he had a chance. He's come out and lit the league on fire to the point where I think it's a legitimate conversation. We keep asking, 'Well, is he comfortable on your fourth line?' Why would he be on the fourth line?”
“He doesn't stick with Mitch, but he's been better than Marner,” Hayes concluded.
His colleague Jeff O'Neill even pointed out that if the Canadiens management has already selected Bryan Point because they think he is better than Marner, and if Bedard is even better than Point currently, then Marner should not have a “step up”. Hayes then made clear his preference for Bedard to play in a top-six role.
“Put him in a scoring position. Like, play him with MacKinnon or something. No kidding. Go score goals at home, man. I think it's played into this talk where he's not just the 13th forward. I can't speak for Canada. They might still think that, but to me, the guy, I mean, he's amazing.”
Connor Bedard isn't distracted by possible Olympic selection
During a conversation with Tracey Myers of the NHL website on Nov. 12, Connor Bedard maintained that his focus is on getting better with the Blackhawks.
“It's a long way off, and I'm going to focus on what we're doing here; the better I am day by day, that will give me more opportunities,” he had said. “What happens, happens. I just want to keep playing well and keep building my game.”
After two disappointing seasons since his NHL debut, the Blackhawks, under Bedard's leadership, have improved to an 11-9-5 record to start the season. They face Mitch Marner's Vegas Golden Knights in their next game on Tuesday.
Edited by R. Nikhil Parshy
