On Sunday night, Finland will face Canada in the World Youth Hockey World Cup final. The opponent’s star is Connor Bedard, known for his wild shooting, who is rumored to be the NHL’s number one reservation next summer.
Finland will face Canada in the final match of the under-20 World Cup tournament on Sunday at 3 a.m. Finnish time.
The youngster already made a splash last December by scoring four goals in one match as the youngest player in the tournament. Thus, he was also the first 16-year-old Canadian player to score a hat trick at the Junior World Championships Wayne Gretzky (1977).
The previous players who played in Canada’s under-20 World Cup team at the age of 16 are McDavid and Sidney Crosby. Bedard has been compared to them several times in interviews.
Bedard has formed a devastating duo in these games Mason McTavish with. This summer’s triple booking is at the top of the points market with powers of 8+7. On the other hand, Bedard, who was successful against Finland, has 4+4 powers.
New windows
Bedard grew up in Canada, north of Vancouver in a neighborhood called Lynn Valley. There, the neighbors got their share as the little boy diligently perfected his shot.
When Bedard was five, a local coach Jon Calvano noted the puck player’s diligence and motivation compared to others his age. At the age of 10, he was already clearly ahead of his age group, but at the age of 13, he surprised even NHL players.
– I made him play four on four with NHL players in the summer and he was unreal. He played with NHL players and scored goals for NHL goaltenders, and they were hard to find.
For the first time, Bedard played among NHL players only when he was 12 years old.
Top shot
Already at the age of 15, Bedard received an exception to play in the Canadian junior league WHL a year earlier than normal. He scored 28 points in 15 games in his first season. Last season was also wild, as a total of one hundred points were accumulated in 62 matches.
– His shot is super elite. We all talk about it all the time. I know a lot of people who have a good shot, but he can really shoot the puck, chain guy Brennan Othmann anneal.
So what makes Bedard’s hard and accurate shot special?
For example, according to The Ahtletic, it is difficult to describe. That’s partly because of the way Bedard takes his bat. He also has a wide variety of different shot angles.
It is no coincidence that the youngster amazes with his shot. After all, he has watched a lot of videos of him scoring 60 goals in the NHL last season by Auston Matthews shot.
Bedard’s shooting style has a lot in common with Matthews.
– I think I’ve seen all of his goals, Bedard says.
Coach Calvano has had the opportunity to watch closely how the youngster has developed his shot.
– He is a hockey nerd. He looks at other players and imitates certain things. And I think he saw his shot set him apart. But when he saw Matthews’ wrist shot, it opened his eyes, Calvano says.
“I love that about him”
And just like Matthews, Bedard has other assists besides his shot. The 17-year-old is known for his puck skills. He also sees the field well and stands out with his passing skills.
At only 175 centimeters, Bedard does not shy away from contact, although he often receives special treatment from opponents.
– When there is such a good player and it is talked about, many players want to get under the skin. He loves it and I love it in him. He is a special player. I don’t think you can find any weaknesses in his game and he is 17 years old, a defender for Canada Donovan Sebrango glowed according to TSN (you switch to another service).
Chain friend Brennan Othmann also emphasizes the versatility of the super promise.
“It’s always been said that his shot is great and he’s a great playmaker, but he’s versatile.” He tackles and gets under the players’ skin. He blocks shots and tries to take all-around play to the next level, says Othmann.
The super promise has every chance to become the next star of the NHL. However, he is aware that nothing has been achieved yet.
– It is an honor that I am compared or my name is even mentioned with a Hall of Fame player. It’s special, but I’m 17 and I haven’t done anything yet.