The path that Connor Bedard is on to one day becoming a bona fide star in the NHL is one very similar to Connor McDavid.
The Edmonton Oilers center had 115 points (43 goals, 72 assists) in his first 45 games with Erie of the Ontario Hockey League in his NHL Draft eligible season of 2014-15. Bedard has 114 points (54 goals, 60 assists) in the same number of games for Regina this season.
McDavid also had 11 points (three goals, eight assists) in seven games to help Canada win a gold medal at the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championship. Bedard led all players at the 2023 WJC with 23 points (nine goals, 14 assists) and was named the tournament's top forward and most valuable player, helping Canada win a second straight gold medal.
"I think it's natural to want to compare the two of them," said John Williams of NHL Central Scouting. "There are some similarities in terms of the path they have both followed, and how much of an impact they had at the junior level. As far as the impact Bedard will have at the NHL level, I wouldn't bet against him.
"Like McDavid, and other great players before him, Bedard has shown he has the ability to elevate his play in big moments, while under a lot of scrutiny and outside pressure. He's the type of player and person that is driven to be the best."
Bedard (5-foot-10, 185 pounds), No. 1 on NHL Central Scouting's midterm ranking of North American skaters presented by BioSteel, became the first player in the Canadian Hockey League this season to reach 50 goals and 100 points, getting each in his 40th game. He has 28 more points than Winnipeg forward Zach Benson (93 points; 34 goals, 59 assists), who is second in WHL scoring and No. 7 in Central Scouting's midterm ranking of North American skaters.
McDavid finished third in the OHL with 120 points (44 goals, 76 assists) in 47 games in 2014-15, trailing Dylan Strome (Erie; 129 points in 68 games) and Mitch Marner (London; 126 points in 63 games). He led all players with 2.55 points per game that season before he was chosen No. 1 by the Oilers in the 2015 NHL Draft.
Bedard leads the WHL with 2.53 points per game this season.
"The advantage McDavid had entering the NHL was his elite speed and skating ability," Williams said. "Bedard has the amazing shot and he's so elusive with the puck and has shown he doesn't need a lot of time and space to score and create chances.
"If the best predictor of the future is the past, there's no reason to believe Bedard won't have an immediate impact. He's done it at every step along the way."
In 17 games with Regina since his return from the 2023 WJC, Bedard has 50 points (27 goals, 23 assists). He has 24 points (10 goals, 14 assists) during an eight-game point streak that started one game after his 35-game point streak ended Feb. 3.
Here's a look at his season (thru Feb. 27):
(WHL rank in parentheses)
Games played:45
Goals-Assists-Points:54 (1st) - 60 (1st) - 114 (1st)
Points per game: 2.53 (1st)
Game-winning goals:9 (2nd)
Power-play points: 41 (1st)
Short-handed goals: 5 (tied for 3rd)
Shots:289 (1st)
Plus/minus rating:plus-34 (tied for 15th)
Penalty minutes:50
Face-off winning percentage:53.3, 546-for-1,024
Upcoming games:Friday: vs. Winnipeg; Saturday: vs. Red Deer; Sunday: vs. Saskatoon; March 8: vs. Edmonton
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