Connor Bedard’s most underrated trait? His physical play

Credit: Connor Bedard (Bob Frid-CHL)

You don’t have to go deep in the bowels of Facebook comment sections to find your weird uncle talking about how Connor Bedard will get ripped apart in the NHL because he’s 5-foot-10.

That’s when you know someone hasn’t watched Bedard play. When it comes to Bedard, his Elite Prospects profile will tell you a ton – like how nobody came within spitting distance of his scoring lead this year. But you have to watch him to truly understand that the size and strength argument doesn’t come into play when discussing Connor Bedard.

Bedard started to receive attention in the scouting community for how aggressive he could be in late 2021. His 2020-21 rookie season was interrupted due to COVID, limiting him to just 27 games across all levels after earning exceptional status into the WHL. But as time progressed with the Regina Pats, Bedard looked more comfortable throwing hits than he did beforehand.

Scouts noticed signs of Bedard’s pluckiness in minor hockey, but the 2022 WHL playoffs with Regina made everyone think differently. “It was like Sidney Crosby during his NHL rookie season,” said one WHL scout. “He wasn’t afraid of anyone. Even the bigger defensemen. He was playing with a chip on his shoulder.”

Bedard told reporters last spring that he was trying to add more to his game than just being a goal-scoring machine. He said playing physically and getting chippy helps him get into the game – and you watch, he often lands a hit in the first shift of most games he plays. And it’s nothing dirty – he’s doing it with purpose.

A total of 98 WHL skaters this season are 6-foot-3 or bigger – 49 of them defensemen. The Dub has always been known for its more physical play compared to the OHL or QMJHL, leaving forwards little space and time to create havoc. But not only has that not slowed him down, but Bedard has taken up the challenge with conviction. He won’t be laying anyone out with a crushing blow anytime soon. But compared to some other top picks in recent years, Bedard wants to engage physically.

“He looks quite comfortable throwing hits for someone that’s mainly out there to inflict pain with the puck,” a scout said. “He’s confident in himself. And that goes a long way.”

That confidence is evident every time he hits the ice, but you can see it in his smile and the way he chirps players after a good smack. His opponents never expect him to come out of nowhere and go shoulder-to-shoulder with them. And you can tell he gets under players’ skins when they turn around and start trying to throw punches against the best player in junior hockey.

“Nobody wants to play against him,” a WHL scout said. “It’s often a sense of pride to line up against top quality players, especially future elite talents. But I know most defenders pray they don’t see No. 98 coming towards them.”

The WHL doesn’t publicly track hits, so data is hard to come by. Instat, a popular scouting tool, says he averages 0.82 hits per game – a decent increase from his 0.65 a year ago. Given how Bedard is everyone’s man in any matchup, it’s interesting to see he only gets hit 0.66 times per game. Part of that is due to his speed and shiftiness, which makes him one of the toughest players to slow down. But the fact is: Bedard is hitting more than he gets hit.

But you compare that to Juraj Slafkovsky, the 6-foot-3, 238-pound forward Montreal drafted first overall a year ago, and he was averaging just 0.44 hits per game, while getting hit 1.12 times each match. In some cases, size doesn’t matter. It’s how you use it.

“Players underestimate him because of his frame,” another scout said. “Don’t judge a book by its cover, I guess.”

Scouts seem to remember one specific hit in a lopsided world junior game last December the most. He easily had the speed to poke the puck away and move on with his day. Instead, Bedard caught up, used his left shoulder to separate the Austrian from the puck, and helped create a scoring chance at the other end instead.

It’s a minor play, indeed. But Bedard’s known for more skilled plays. He could have easily just gone for the poke check. But scouts liked that, as small as it might have been.

Bedard’s edge will get him in trouble at times. He had 62 penalty minutes in the regular season this year, a solid step up from his 41 a year ago. He’ll get the usual tripping penalties and everything, but Bedard loves to get engaged in every facet of the game. Bedard is willing to sacrifice the body in a way few players with elite skills are willing to do, especially in junior when you’ve got players roaming around that might not be going anywhere and just looking to land on a highlight reel. He also seems to thrive in physical situations, something that stood out over the past two world juniors.

“Imagine if he added a bit of extra muscle,” another scout said. “He’d truly be a complete player.”

With 71 goals and 143 points this season, Bedard had one of the best draft-eligible seasons out of a CHLer we’ve ever seen. He’s the consensus No. 1 prospect, and the team that lands him is getting a franchise changer in the vein of Connor McDavid or Sidney Crosby. And Bedard still has so much to grow, both physically and as a player, too. Just wait until he hits the NHL – literally.

The best advice for his opponents? A WHL GM said it best:

“Don’t go into a corner with Connor. You won’t win.”

Connor Bedard’s most underrated trait? His physical play

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