Bedard leads selections for CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game

Connor Bedard, the projected No. 1 pick of the 2023 Upper Deck NHL Draft, is one of 40 players selected for the 2023 CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game at Langley Events Centre in Langley, British Columbia, on Jan. 25 (10 p.m. ET).

Players were selected by NHL teams in conjunction with NHL Central Scouting. The roster breakdown will be determined on a later date.
Bedard (5-foot-10, 183 pounds) leads the Canadian Hockey League with 64 points in 28 games and the Western Hockey League in goals (27) and assists (37). The 17-year-old center has points in 27 straight games, the longest in the WHL since Brett Leason of Prince Albert had a point in 30 straight in 2018-19.
"It seems like as soon as he's on the rush, even if it's starting in his own end, but certainly once he gains the blue line on the attack, he's a threat to score," Central Scouting senior manager David Gregory said. "He has absolute elite puck handling and shooting skills, but you combine that with his hockey IQ and how he thinks it, he's just so hard to stop and contain."
Bedard is with Canada at selection camp for the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship, which will be held Dec. 26-Jan. 5 in Halifax, Nova Scotia and Moncton, New Brunswick. He had eight points (four goals, four assists) in seven games to help Canada win the 2022 WJC in August.
He was the seventh 16-year-old to be selected to play for Canada at the WJC, joining Wayne Gretzky (1978), Eric Lindros (1989), Jason Spezza (2000), Jay Bouwmeester (2000), Sidney Crosby (2004) and Connor McDavid (2014).
"I know Connor Bedard ... visualizes himself being similar to Kirill Kaprizov (Minnesota Wild)," Central Scouting director Dan Marr said on the "NHL Draft Class" podcast. "Both elite talents, but it's very reminiscent with me with Patrick Kane (Chicago Blackhawks). Just the speed, the quickness, those big, timely goals when they're needed, and the accuracy to finish on the play, or just in general to create the scoring chances when you need them. And the fact that he goes out there and makes it look so easy."
Bedard is one of 16 players picked from the three CHL leagues -- the WHL, Ontario Hockey League and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League -- that received an A rating in Central Scouting's preliminary players to watch list presented by BioSteel: goalie Carson Bjarnason (Brandon, WHL); defensemen Beau Akey (Barrie, OHL), Cameron Allen (Guelph, OHL) and Lukas Dragicevic (Tri-City, WHL); and forwards Colby Barlow (Owen Sound, OHL), Zach Benson (Winnipeg, WHL), Andrew Cristall (Kelowna, WHL), Nate Danielson (Brandon, WHL), Ethan Gauthier (Sherbrooke, QMJHL), Riley Heidt (Prince George, WHL), Samuel Honzek (Vancouver, WHL), Quentin Musty (Sudbury, OHL), Calum Ritchie (Oshawa, OHL), Brayden Yager (Moose Jaw, WHL) and Koehn Ziemmer (Prince George, WHL).
Marr said one of the biggest surprises for Central Scouting has been Honzek (6-3, 186). He leads WHL rookies with 41 points (16 goals, 25 assists) in 30 games.
"He really jumped out because he played like he played in the league for two years already," Marr said. "He was very composed, very on top of the play. He has a good understanding with his hockey sense of the game and positioning. ... He's a player that impacts every game, you notice him every shift."
Among the goalies, Bjarnason is 11-10-2 with a 2.98 goals-against average and .911 save percentage in 24 games.
"He's very focused and determined with very good quickness, especially in reactions, recovery and lateral play," said Al Jensen of Central Scouting. "He's got good overall net coverage and has good pro potential."

2023 CHL/NHL TOP PROSPECTS GAME ROSTER

GOALIES:Carson Bjarnason, Brandon (WHL); Scott Ratzlaff, Seattle (WHL); Charlie Robertson, North Bay (OHL); Jackson Unger, Moose Jaw (WHL)
DEFENSEMEN: Beau Akey, Barrie (OHL); Cameron Allen, Guelph (OHL); Oliver Bonk, London (OHL), Hunter Brzustewicz, Kitchener (OHL); Luca Cagnoni, Portland (WHL); Lukas Dragicevic, Tri-City (WHL); Andrew Gibson, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL); Matteo Mann, Chicoutimi (QMJHL); Tanner Molendyk, Saskatoon (WHL); Etienne Morin, Moncton (QMJHL); Caden Price, Kelowna (WHL); Jordan Tourigny, Shawinigan (QMJHL)
FORWARDS: Colby Barlow, Owen Sound (OHL); Connor Bedard, Regina (WHL); Zach Benson, Winnipeg (WHL); Mathieu Cataford, Halifax (QMJHL); Andrew Cristall, Kelowna (WHL); Nate Danielson, Brandon (WHL); Ethan Gauthier, Sherbrooke (QMJHL); Riley Heidt, Prince George (WHL); Samuel Honzek, Vancouver (WHL); Nick Lardis, Peterborough (OHL); Kalan Lind, Red Deer (WHL); Jaden Lipinski, Vancouver (WHL); Ethan Miedema, Windsor (OHL); Quentin Musty, Sudbury (OHL); Nico Myatovic, Seattle (WHL); Tyler Peddle, Drummondville (QMJHL); Luca Pinelli, Ottawa (OHL); Coulson Pitre, Flint (OHL); Carson Rehkopf, Kitchener (OHL); Gracyn Sawchyn, Seattle (WHL); Carey Terrance, Erie (OHL); Brayden Yager, Moose (WHL); Koehn Ziemmer, Prince George (WHL)
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