NHL Draft Prospect Roundup: How good has Connor Bedard been recently?

Steven Ellis
Steven Ellis
NHL Draft Prospect Roundup: How good has Connor Bedard been recently?
Credit: Keith Hershmiller/WHL

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Let’s try something new.

Every week, I look at 10 NHL prospects catching my eye – maybe some underrated names, or, sometimes, we’re talking big-time future stars. It’s a blast seeing how affiliated prospects look across the globe.

But the 2023 NHL Draft is what you all really care about. This year’s crop is going to be tremendous, and it’s something we’ve covered extensively already. So I’m starting a new weekly series, looking at 10 2023 NHL Draft prospects each week that deserve some serious attention.

It’s fitting we’re kicking things off with Connor Bedard. We’re going to look at him, and nine others, with their ranking in my top 70 draft list in parentheses:

WHL

– After having one of the best World Junior Championship performances ever seen, No. 1 prospect Connor Bedard (1) kicked off his WHL return with 11 points in his first two games. He’s now up to 31 points in 11 games, with three five-plus points and three 10-plus shot efforts. With 96 points in 39 games, Bedard is in a heavy race with Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Jordan Dumais for the first to hit 100, with Dumais leading the way with 98 points in 47 games. Not only is Bedard 20 points clear of anyone else in the WHL, but he’s on pace for 140 – something no player, regardless of age, has managed to do in the 21st century. Bedard’s talent knows no bounds.

OHL

– Few players have been on as much of a roll as of late as Hamilton Bulldogs prospect Nick Lardis (N/A), who has 15 goals and 27 points in 15 outings with his new team. Considering he had just 19 points in 36 games with the Peterborough Petes this year, Lardis’ hot streak is coming at the right time. Lardis’ decision-making has gotten him into trouble this season, especially on breakout passes or under pressure, but I think we’re starting to really see some huge progress and layers to his game that haven’t been seen before.

– After missing 11 games with a hand injury, Quentin Musty (24) responded with four points in his first four games back. That’s nothing too crazy to write home about, but he was playing some of his best hockey before the injury in early January, so a big response was precisely what he needed to get things back on track. He’s still averaging around five shots a game, which is a good sign.

QMJHL

– After two unremarkable seasons with Blainville-Boisbriand, Jonathan Fauchon (N/A) found his groove this season. He has 25 goals and 65 points in 53 games, a huge step up from his 31-point output a year ago. His biggest asset is his speed, but he’s also a strong defensive forward. So it’s nice to see the points this season, but I’m not sure there’s going to be much demand for a forward the NHL’s Central Scouting ranked 190th in North America. We’ll see where his career takes him.

USHL

– Since leading USA to gold at the World Junior A Challenge, Jacob Fowler (60) has been nearly unstoppable. The 6-foot-2 goaltender is 9-1-0 in that span, which includes a 43-save shutout against Muskegon. Fowler has quickly become one of my favorite goalies for his athleticism, aggressiveness at the top of the crease, quick glove hand and how much space he seems to take away despite not having a huge frame. The goaltending for the 2023 NHL Draft is a mixed bag, but I think Fowler – a Boston College commit – has a bright future ahead of him.

– Speaking of the WJAC, Cole Knuble (N/A) – USA’s top scorer – looks like one of the better re-entries. The University of Notre Dame commit – and son of Stanley Cup winner Mike Knuble – has points in eight of his last 10 games with 15 points in that span. He’s set to break his previous best of 49 points in the coming games and is on pace for around 75, making him one of the best Draft+1 scorers in the league. I don’t think he gets passed over on the second go-around.

International

– There were many mega performances at the U-18 Four Nations in Finland last weekend, with USNTDP star Will Smith (7) going on an absolute tear. He had eight points over three games, including a four-goal, five-point night against Czechia. It’s been an outstanding run for Smith, who has 12 points in his past four USHL games and won the MVP title at the Biosteel All-American Prospect Game last month. Smith is a near-consensus top-10 pick this season for his all-around ability, making everyone around him better. So it was excellent to see him stand out above the rest last weekend and showing scouts why he deserves to be a cornerstone of their future. Of note, Smith’s linemates, Gabe Perreault (nine points) and Ryan Leonard (seven) helped round out the top three in scoring.

– Kasper Halttunen (57) doesn’t get a ton of ice time with HIFK in the top Finnish league, and he has just one assist in 25 games to show for. But he led Finland with five points in three games at the Four Nations en route to helping his country win on home ice. Halttunen started off strong with two goals against Czechia before grabbing three assists combined against USA and Sweden. Against his own age group, Halttunen has been one of the more impressive Finnish players this season, and the experience against men is nice. He should get a nice bump on my next rankings.

MHL

– After returning to the MHL late last month, Roman Kantserov (N/A) is someone I’m keeping an eye on. He’s up to five points in his past six games with Magnitogorsk’s junior team, putting him at 47 points in 42 games. The small forward can hold his own physically, has an excellent release and is a strong play-driver that some believe could force himself into first-round territory. I’m not there yet, and I’m not sure I will be, but it’s good to see him consistently play more than 20 minutes a night.

– Another MHLer I’m watching is Yegor Klimovich (N/A), who has 42 points in 32 games with Novosibirsk. He had 10 points in two games over the weekend and 19 in his past seven, which is absolutely ridiculous. I’d like to see what he could do in the KHL or VHL because there’s no shortage of small, scoring forwards in the Russian junior league – one that isn’t exactly known for pristine goaltending. But you can’t ignore the numbers on a guy I’d expect to go in the mid-rounds.

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