Bedard's improved defensive play leads to bigger World Junior role

TSN SportsCentre Reporter Mark Masters reports on the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship. The players skated in two groups at Team Canada's World Junior selection camp on Saturday at the Avenir Centre in Moncton, N.B.

Connor Bedard wants that gold-medal buzz back. 

"It feels like when you win it it lasts 10 minutes so you want that again right away," the Regina Pats phenom said. "We're lucky we only had to wait three months or whatever it is for the opportunity here."

Bedard helped Team Canada win the World Juniors in August. He scored four goals and added four assists in the seven games in Edmonton. Now, he's poised to take on an even bigger role in Halifax. 

"You're going to see a Connor Bedard that's matured in terms of that complete game," predicted Alan Millar, Hockey Canada's director of player personnel. "When you get into those key games, match-ups are important and he's going to play a role where he's going to play against top players and his complete game and [being] cognizant of defence and working and tracking and all those things will be important. He knows that. He's prepared for that. I think you'll see a young man whose game's matured and is even that much more complete."

Bedard played just nine minutes in the final preliminary round game against Finland in August as the coaching staff leaned on others to protect a lead. Bedard was bumped to the third line in the medal round after an injury to Ridly Greig forced Canada to rejig the alignment. 

Bedard is riding a 27 game point streak in the Western Hockey League, but defensive play has been a focus. 

"Just my 200-foot game," he said of his internal improvement. "Faceoffs are a lot better and playing a bit of penalty kill so just those things. Improving in the D-zone and all areas." 

Bedard is tied for the best plus-minus mark on the Pats (+14). He's winning 51.9 per cent of his draws, which is up from 49.1 per cent last season. 

"Well-rounded game," observed Kamloops Blazers centre Logan Stankoven, who just played against Bedard in the WHL. "I feel like his defensive game and his overall game has really picked up and I'm sure it's going to pay off."

Bedard isn't letting his foot off the gas even though his spot on Team Canada is assured. 

"You always want to come in with that tryout mentality," he said. "I'm still trying to prove myself and show everyone here what I can do."

The early reviews are overwhelmingly positive. 

"He's as advertised," said Los Angeles Kings defenceman Brandt Clarke. "He's so smart with the puck. His release is unmatched. We got guys in the Kings dressing room talking about him. Like, 'You get to play with that Bedard kid.' I'm not going to name anybody."

Was it Drew Doughty? 

"Dewy did say that, actually," Clarke confirmed with a laugh. "He's already getting that kind of recognition."

"He's going to be a special player," New York Islanders centre Mathew Barzal said in a recent interview. 

Barzal, a fellow B.C. native, has skated with Bedard the last few summers. 

"He's a new age of player where he's just got all the tools," Barzal gushed. "It's fun, literally, learning from him. Like, learning new tricks and skills."

Of course, the No. 1 skill is his shot. Bedard has used it to score 78 goals in 90 games over the last two WHL seasons.  

"There's a picture online where the shot was taken and I'm still looking forward and it goes right by me," said Seattle Thunderbirds goalie Thomas Milic with a smile. "Hopefully that one doesn't circulate too much."

"His shot's incredible," said Barzal. "It comes off his stick so hot. I've really never seen anything like it. Obviously, Matty [Auston Matthews] rips the puck. I would say that's the only shot I could really compare it to. Just looks so pure. He beats NHL goalies. He's been beating him since he was 15."

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University of Michigan freshman Adam Fantilli is trying to unseat Bedard atop the 2023 NHL draft class, but there's no tension between the two. 

"We were joking about it yesterday on the ice," Fantilli revealed. "If he hits me, like, something's going on. We were just joking around about that. Me and him, we don't wish [anything] bad on each other."

The pair actually hung out on Friday night and watched Bedard's Pats play the Prince Albert Raiders. 

"We're good friends and I'm cheering for him," said Bedard. "I follow his stats and his game and stuff and he's been unreal. It's been awesome. I think it's kind of funny when people put us against each other or whatever. We're both cheering for each other and now we're on the same team."

Well, not quite yet. Fantilli still needs to secure his spot. 

"The package is intriguing in terms of size, the way he skates, the way he handles the puck, the way he shoots the puck," said Millar. "He's also a guy who's been around our programs a bit. He was at our summer camp, played for our under-18 team in Germany. Obviously, got out to an outstanding start as an 18-year-old freshman at the University of Michigan and now we’ll see how it translates at this level and if he can earn his way onto our club."

"Just keep doing what I've been doing," Fantilli said of his mindset. "Things have been working." 

Fantilli is 6-foot-2, 195 pounds and able to fly around the ice. 

"Lots of guys are big out there," noted Stankoven, "but sometimes they're not the quickest. He's got the full package."

That's why Fantilli has been able to pile up 11 goals and 15 assists in 16 games. He is second in NCAA scoring with 26 points. 

"He's so dynamic," said Seattle Kraken forward Shane Wright. "He's such a fast, strong player and smart player as well. He can make plays with the puck and he's not afraid to use his size and physicality."

"He's done a really good job of rounding out his game at Michigan coming out of the USHL," observed Team Canada head coach Dennis Williams. "In my discussions with him, he wants to show that he can play without the puck and defend hard and do the things that we want this team to do." 

Fantilli lists Nathan MacKinnon, Patrice Bergeron and Jamie Benn as his role models. He believes that, at his best, his game is a blend of those three stars. That's an intoxicating mix for any NHL team. Still, it may not be enough to bypass Bedard. 

Does Bedard push him to be better? 

"To a certain extent," the Nobleton, Ont. native said. "I mean, 27 game point streak, I didn't even know that, but that's pretty cool. It's every kid's dream to go as high as they can. I'm doing the best I can. I know he's doing the best he can. The cards fall where they may."

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The crease competition will be front and centre over the next two days. 

"You look at our defence group, you look at our forward group and everybody can say, 'OK, he's a lock. That guy's a lock.' We don't have that in net right now," Millar acknowledged. "But the process will play itself out and we feel confident in where we're going to land." 

The goalies at camp are Sarnia's Ben Gaudreau, Seattle's Milic, Prince George's Tyler Brennan and Quebec's William Rousseau. 

"We feel we have four goaltenders here who all have the ability to raise the level of their game," Millar stressed. "We need to find someone who can step up and backstop this team for two weeks. Gaudreau and Milic did that at under-18s. Brennan was there as the third guy. Rousseau is backstopping one of the top teams in the CHL and has really impressive numbers."

Rousseau (.922 save percentage) has been impressive behind the rampaging Remparts, but it's a different story for Gaudreau (.868) and Brennan (.887). 

"Across the Canadian Hockey League, and across the game as a whole, offence is way up and save percentage is drastically down," Millar said. "It is what it is."  

The battle to be the Boxing Day starter appears to be wide open. 

"From Day 1 that's what they told us," said Milic, who has a .919 save percentage while splitting starts in Seattle. "Everyone has the chance to earn that spot ... I'm going to do whatever it takes to get there." 

Gaudreau missed the start of camp, because his flight originating in London, Ont. got delayed and forced him to miss his connection in Toronto. He spent most of the day at the airport. 

"They got me into a lounge so I went up there, slept for a little bit and kept on eating food," Gaudreau said with a smile. "I don't think I've eaten that much food in a long time. Had a couple vouchers. It was good."

The Corbeil, Ont. native finally arrived at the team's Moncton hotel around 2 am on Saturday. Predictably, the legs felt a bit heavy at the start of his first on-ice session. The good news is he won't play in a scrimmage until Monday. 

As Millar noted, Gaudreau was between the pipes when Canada won gold at the 2021 under-18 World Championship in Texas. He played five games at that event and was named the top goalie. 

"At the end of the day, that's in the past," he said. "I got to show them what I can do again. It's a new tournament. It's a couple years later now."

Still, that gold medal has to count for something. 

"The experience is huge, especially because it's a short-term competition at the international level," Williams noted. "Having success breeds success."

Milic played two games at the 2021 under-18 event. He also has the most recent big-game success among Canada's contenders. Milic backstopped the Thunderbirds to the WHL final last season. 

"My preparation and consistency helped me thrive in those playoffs," he said. "Regardless of whether we were coming off a long road trip or playing at home, the way I went into every game stayed the exact same and that contributed to my success a lot."

Brennan and Rousseau will play 60 minutes in the game against uSports players on Sunday. They will play 30 minutes for both teams. Gaudreau and Milic will follow the same routine in Monday's camp finale. 

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Williams predicts that 10 of the 13 forwards Team Canada takes to the World Juniors will be natural centres. That means many will have to shift to the wing. Stankoven has been lining up more on the wing lately in Kamloops. 

"More realistic for me at the next level," the 5-foot-8 Dallas Stars prospect said. 

It's been an adjustment. 

"Picking pucks off of the boards is the biggest thing," he said. "Really working on that and putting yourself in a good situation so you're not taking a big hit or putting yourself in a vulnerable position to get hit."

Williams suggested that Stankoven, who led the summer World Juniors in faceoff percentage (72.8), is likely to remain in the middle with Team Canada. He skated between Nathan Gaucher and Dylan Guenther on Saturday. 

"Logan did a really good job last year in the middle of the ice and has great experience there," Williams highlighted. 

Stankoven was named the CHL's top player last season, but isn't resting on his laurels. 

"There's lots of areas you can improve upon," the Kamloops, B.C. native insisted. "Obviously, it's a nice award to win, but everyone's continually getting better and you got to improve your game. If you're not working on your game then the next guy behind you is going to take your job."

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Lines at Saturday's practices: 

First group 

Not playing on Sunday 

Ostapchuk - Wright - Bedard 

Gaucher - Stankoven - Guenther 

Del Mastro - Zellweger 

Clarke 

Second group

Playing uSports on Sunday 

Dean - Beck - Othmann 

Fantilli - Bankier - Dumais

Schaefer - Dach - Roy

Bolduc - Kidney - Greene 

Korchinski - Matier

Hinds - Samson 

Allan - Nause

Lambos 

Gaudreau

Brennan

Milic 

Rousseau