Expectations are sky high for Bedard at World Juniors

Team Canada practised at the Seven Chiefs Sportsplex in Tsuut'ina Nation, Alta. on Sunday.

Connor Bedard is poised to play an important role for Team Canada at the rescheduled World Juniors. 

"He was a big part of our team in December and now he's played three more league months beyond that," said head coach Dave Cameron. "That extra couple of months is huge." 

When he arrived at selection camp back in December, the then 16-year-old Bedard had put up 24 points in 24 games. Upon returning to the Western Hockey League, the Regina Pats phenom surged down the stretch with 76 points in 38 games. Bedard feels like he is returning to the international stage as a more well-rounded player. 

"My face-off percentage went up a bit and defensively I felt a little better," the Vancouver native, who celebrated his 17th birthday on July 17, said. "You learn things every game with that sort of stuff so I think I improved there and hopefully I can show that."

"I told him at Christmas, 'Connor, you don't need me when the puck's on your stick,'" Cameron said. "You just have to make sure you play responsibly enough away from it so that we don't turn into a one-and-done or run-and-gun team."

Bedard was on the bubble just to make Team Canada in December. He started the event as the team's 13th forward. Bedard will open the summer tournament in a more prominent position. He's been practising as the right winger on the top line beside Team Canada captain and Anaheim Ducks prospect Mason McTavish. He's also on the top power-play unit.

Bedard, who is the favourite to be picked first overall in the 2023 NHL draft, became the youngest player to score four goals in a World Junior game when Canada routed Austria 11-2 on Dec. 28. One day later the tournament was cancelled due to rising COVID cases. The experience, however, made a big impression on Bedard.

"Even with 50 per cent capacity, it felt pretty energetic," he recalled. "You could see everyone with Canada face paint and stuff like that. It was really cool. I'm really looking forward to getting back to that energy."

Expectations for what an older and wiser Bedard can do in Edmonton this summer are sky high. 

"I don't know if we want to have any more expectations on him other than for him to be Connor Bedard and play to his strengths," said Cameron. 

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Bedard's greatest strength may be a blistering shot. 

"His shot is a bomb," said Kamloops Blazers goalie Dylan Garand, who started for Canada on Boxing Day. "I'll take it right in the shoulder where all my padding is and it'll give me a bruise. He's definitely an impactful player and I know he wants to make an impact at this tournament."

"He can shoot the puck," said McTavish with a smile. "I mean, you guys have seen it. So, just give it to him and go to the net." 

Bedard scored 51 goals last season. 

"His shot is deceptive and accurate and hard," said Edmonton Oil Kings goalie Sebastian Cossa. "It's an NHL-ready shot now." 

"He can shoot around you," observed Moose Jaw Warriors defenceman Daemon Hunt, who faces Bedard in the WHL. "He can shoot through you. Canadians need to be really, really excited for this guy, because he's very special." 

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Hunt missed out on the December World Juniors after he fractured the knuckle on his right index finger during the final scrimmage of the selection camp. 

"It was probably one of the hardest days of my life," Hunt said. "Mentally, it was very tough. An injury so small and it's something that cost me so big."

Disaster struck again during Saturday's practice. Hunt slid to block a shot during a special teams drill, which earned stick taps from teammates. Hunt got up favouring his right hand. He departed the ice and did not return. When he spoke to TSN after the workout, Hunt was optimistic that he would be OK. The diagnosis, however, revealed that the Brandon, Man. native would not be able to play for Team Canada. 

"Same thing happened at Christmas," Cameron said. "I feel terrible for Daemon. He was a big part of our team."

Hunt had been skating on the second pair opposite Charlottetown Islanders defenceman Lukas Cormier. In his absence on Sunday, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds defenceman Ryan O'Rourke moved up into that spot.

Ethan Del Mastro of the Mississauga Steelheads will take Hunt's spot on the roster. 

"I got the call late last night and it was a bunch of emotions," Del Mastro said. "A lot of excitement. It's pretty special."

The 6-foot-4, 206 pound defenceman took part in the final 20 minutes of Sunday's practice. 

"Pretty hectic," he said. "Flight at 6:30 this morning. Flew in, got off the plane and got in a car and came to the rink and jumped on the ice."  

The Chicago Blackhawks prospect attended the recent under-20 camp for 2023 World Junior hopefuls.

"To come here a year earlier and get this experience, you know, find out what it's like, it's massive," Del Mastro said. "Coming in next year I'll have that in my back pocket."

"He's a big, strong physical defenceman," said Cameron. "He was part of the under-18 team that won the gold in Dallas [at the 2021 World Championship] and was one of the better players at the summer camp." 

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Joshua Roy was among the final cuts by Team Canada at December's selection camp. The chance to make it this summer served as a motivating factor during the second half of his season with the Sherbrooke Phoenix. 

"When they cancelled the World Juniors, I was thinking a little bit about it and I worked hard," the Montreal Canadiens prospect said. "When I learned the news, I was so excited. It's amazing." 

The left winger certainly earned the opportunity. Roy led the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League with 119 points in 66 games. He had produced 35 points in 35 games the previous season. 

"My conditioning is the main thing I had to improve on," Roy said of his transformation this year. "It's helped me with everything. Back-check, forecheck, finishing my hits, everything. Everything is easier. I feel faster on the ice. Everything is better."

What sort of impact can he make in Edmonton? 

"I'm going to bring my offensive game and try to play a 200-foot game too," said Roy. "I need to play a good pro game."

This is the message he received from the Canadiens at the team's recent development camp 

"They were happy," Roy said of the feedback. "They say I need to get a pro game if I want to play one day in the NHL so I'll try to improve on that ... I have to be sharp everywhere."

Roy seems to have caught the eye of the Team Canada coaching staff at training camp. He started as an extra forward in the first three practices before being promoted to the top line with McTavish and Bedard. 

"We're mixing and matching," cautioned Cameron. "We're kind of throwing stuff at the wall to see. He's a heck of a hockey player, a leading scorer. We're thinking that line can play the 200-foot game and give us some offence."

Flint Firebirds forward Brennan Othmann, another new addition to the roster this summer, skated with McTavish and Bedard during the first three practices of camp. 

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Courtice, Ont. native Jack Thompson attended the 2015 World Junior gold medal game between Canada and Russia. 

"I was with my buddies from my minor hockey team and the atmosphere in Toronto was insane," the Greyhounds defenceman said. "It was red everywhere you looked. Canada scored really early in the game and I remember it went bananas in there. It was really cool."

Thompson was hoping to experience the excitement from ice level in December, but didn't even get a chance to make Team Canada. He missed the selection camp due to COVID protocols. 

"It was tough to handle," he admits. "Obviously, that's something out of my control with my team having that outbreak. I didn't feel too bad. I was one of those people who didn't have many symptoms, but at the end of the day it's about safety and precautions, which I understood." 

Thompson would have had a great chance to make the roster because there weren't many right-handed options. Canada eventually opted to go with eight lefties on defence. 

Thompson gives Canada one righty this summer, but he's valuable beyond his handedness.  

"I'm a two-way defenceman that's reliable in his own zone," Thompson said. "I make a good first pass and like to chip in on offence."

Thompson has been skating alongside Everett Silvertips defenceman Ronan Seeley so far. 

"I love him," Thompson said of the chemistry. "He's a really good dude. He's a really good player. We bond well off the ice which translates on the ice so I'm happy to be with him. We sit beside each other in the dressing room and we're always talking about different things. He likes golf like me." 

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Thompson, a big fan of Justin Thomas, has also been practising on the flank of the second power-play unit. With Cormier as the quarterback, that unit has two defencemen. 

"If you think you have the depth and the personnel, which we do, it's a real good safety valve for the team," Cameron explained. "Maybe you have a power play late in the period and you can put that unit out. It's another card in the deck." 

Thompson scored seven power-play goals last season, which was tied for second among defencemen in the Ontario Hockey League. 

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Riley Kidney wasn't invited to Canada's selection camp in December. 

"I wanted to work super hard to prove to Hockey Canada that I'm good enough to play here," the Canadiens prospect said. "Next year in Halifax, that’s my hometown, and I wanted to prove to them I'm good enough to play in that tournament."

A strong second half with the Acadie-Bathurst Titan helped catapult the centre into contention for the summer event. 

"I stepped up my game," Kidney explained. "I played with more confidence. I improved my 200-foot game too. I got faster. Overall, just more confident with the puck and more confident making plays."

Where did the confidence come from? 

"Just being older in the league," he said. "Being 18 is easier than being a 16 or 17-year-old in the league. So, that’s the biggest thing: having experience." 

Kidney, who stands 5-foot-11, 173 pounds, got a specific message from the Habs heading into this off-season. 

"They told me I need to get bigger and stronger, which I already know," he said. "I'm working hard on that this summer. I've gained quite a few pounds since I got home so my summer's been successful so far."

Kidney has added eight pounds, to be exact, and credits his mom's cooking.  

"I'm eating more," he said. "My mom cooks me meals three times a day ... chicken and pasta and avocado is my favourite."

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Canada will play its only pre-tournament game on Monday in Edmonton against Team Sweden. Cameron is expecting a looser style of hockey considering the calendar. 

"It's the middle of the summer and a lot of these guys are coming off a couple of months since they've played a structured, meaningful game so it’s a matter of getting that structure back into their game," the coach said. "Turnovers, scoring chances and odd-man rushes will be up and the team that will have success is the team that can limit that. It won't be completely eliminated simply because summer hockey is summer hockey. It's about which team can get into mid-season form quickest." 

Canada will dress 13 forwards, seven defencemen and two goalies on Monday, which means there will be three healthy scratches. 

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Lines at Sunday's practice: 

Roy - McTavish - Bedard 
Johnson - Stankoven - Foerster
Othmann - Greig - Dufour 
Cuylle - Desnoyers - Gaucher 
Ostapchuk - Kidney 

Sebrango - Zellweger 
O'Rourke - Cormier 
Seeley - Thompson 
Del Mastro - Lambos 

Garand 
Brochu 
Cossa

Power play units: 

QB: Zellweger 
Flanks: Bedard, Johnson
Middle: Stankoven
Net front: McTavish 

QB: Cormier 
Flanks: Roy, Thompson/Seeley
Middle: Greig 
Net front: Foerster