2023 NHL Draft: Connor Bedard watch

Connor Bedard, the projected No. 1 pick in the 2023 Upper Deck NHL Draft, is in his third season with Regina of the Western Hockey League. The 17-year-old center, No. 1 on NHL Central Scouting's midterm ranking of North American skaters presented by BioSteel, was granted exceptional status to play in the WHL as a 15-year-old. Each Wednesday, NHL.com will have an update on Bedard leading up to the NHL Draft, which will be held in Nashville on June 28-29.

If Connor Bedard has proven anything in his Western Hockey League playoff debut, it's that the bigger the game, the better he gets.
Bedard leads the league with 13 points (eight goals, five assists) in four playoff games for Regina, which has lost two straight and is 2-2 in its best-of-7 series against Saskatoon in the opening round of the playoffs. It is Regina's first postseason appearance since 2018.
He was named the first star in Games 1-2-3, and was the second star in Game 4.
"Regina was the underdog coming in, but to tell you the truth, I'm not surprised at all with how well Bedard has played," said David Gregory, NHL director of Central Scouting. "Obviously we've known about Connor for years. We saw him step up a couple of years ago for Canada at the World Under-18 Championship in Dallas and become, arguably, the best player in that tournament and then to see what he did at the 2023 World Junior Championship ... it's become very clear that when the games are important, his skills just transfer very well.
"His compete level makes him undeniable, so it's no surprise at all and won't surprise me if it's going to continue."
Bedard has a history of rising to the occasion.
He tied for second at the 2021 IIHF World Under-18 Championship with 14 points (seven goals, seven assists) in seven games and was named to the tournament all-star team. He 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.
Bedard, No. 1 in NHL Central Scouting's midterm ranking of North American skaters presented by BioSteel, had three points (one goal, two assists) in a 6-1 win at Saskatoon in Game 1 on Friday, and five points (three goals, two assists) in a 6-5 overtime win at Saskatoon on Sunday. He had three points (one goal, two assists) in a 4-3 overtime loss in Game 3 on Tuesday and two goals in a 4-3 OT loss in Game 4 on Wednesday.

His goal in Game 3 came after a highlight-reel rush, when he collected the puck at center ice, split the Saskatoon defensemen at the blue line and snapped a shot inside the right post for a 3-1 lead at 9:39 of the third period.
Regina had a 2-1 lead late in the first, when Bedard had a goal overturned after a video review revealed the net had been dislodged prior to the puck crossing the goal line.
Forward Yegor Sidorov, No. 86 on Central Scouting's midterm ranking of North American skaters, scored his second goal 5:19 into overtime to rally Saskatoon to the Game 3 victory.
Regina will play at Saskatoon in Game 5 on Friday and then host the Blades in Game 6 on Saturday.
"I think it comes down to compete level and your desire to play with intensity and transferring those two things to when it's most important to you," Gregory said. "[Bedard] obviously loves to play and loves to succeed, and you add that with his compete level and it's one of the things that, arguably, can get you to the NHL when you're lacking a whole bunch of other skills.
"The thing is, Connor has all the other skills, so that makes him an excellent NHL prospect."
Bedard was named the WHL Player of the Month for March after leading all players in the league with 32 points (19 goals, 13 assists) in his final 13 regular-season games and first playoff game of the month.
"You have to win four to win a series so we can't be too happy about the situation," Bedard said. "We got to take what we did well but learn what we can do better and try to get the next one.
"We don't go into games expecting to lose, just like Saskatoon wouldn't expect to lose either."
Bedard's playoff stats (WHL rank in parenthesis):
Games played: 4
Goals-Assists-Points: 8 (1st) - 5 (tied for 5th) - 13 (1st)
Points per game: 3.25 (1st)
Game-winning goals: 1 (tied for 5th)
Power-play points: 2
Shorthanded goals: 0
Shots: 16 (4th)
Plus/minus rating: plus-9
Penalty minutes: 4
Face-off winning percentage: 51.2 (62-for-121)
Upcoming games: Friday: at Saskatoon; Saturday: vs. Saskatoon; Monday: at Saskatoon (if necessary)
Photos: Keith Hershmiller, Regina