Connor Bedard was about to jet off to a sunny destination.

He wasn害羞草研究所檛 happy about it.

With minor hockey tryouts just around the corner, Bedard 害羞草研究所� the projected No. 1 pick at next week害羞草研究所檚 NHL draft, but at the time simply a youngster with big dreams 害羞草研究所� begrudgingly agreed to his family害羞草研究所檚 Hawaiian vacation.

There was a caveat: a couple of extra items needed to be packed, namely some sticks and his in-line skates.

害羞草研究所淗e didn害羞草研究所檛 really want to go,害羞草研究所� Tom Bedard, Connor害羞草研究所檚 dad, recalled with a laugh. 害羞草研究所淥nly gone 10 days or something, but for him that was a lot.

害羞草研究所淣ot thrilled.害羞草研究所�

When the Bedards rolled up to the airport, the stick bag set to be loaded on a plane heading to a chain of islands in the Pacific Ocean raised some eyebrows.

And once they arrived in paradise 害羞草研究所� Tom, wife Melanie, daughter Madisen, and Connor 害羞草研究所� the hockey-mad youngster quickly laced up and hit the seawall.

害羞草研究所淗e was flying around,害羞草研究所� Tom Bedard said in an interview with The Canadian Press. 害羞草研究所淲e eventually got our beach time. It was a fun trip 害羞草研究所� once he chilled a little.害羞草研究所�

The family is about to embark on another journey.

Connor Bedard, the 17-year-old Regina Pats phenom who has turned heads since he was 11 and tore the Western Hockey League to pieces this season with 143 points in 57 games, is as safe a bet as possible to be selected No. 1 by the Chicago Blackhawks at the NHL draft in Nashville on Wednesday.

害羞草研究所淎 lot of work put in,害羞草研究所� Bedard said. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 pretty exciting.害羞草研究所�

The top-ranked North American skater, who took home a boatload of individual honours in 2022-23, has drawn comparisons to the game害羞草研究所檚 generational talents, including Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid.

害羞草研究所淧retty cool to hear that, but I don害羞草研究所檛 pay attention,害羞草研究所� Bedard said. 害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 my own person, I害羞草研究所檓 my own player. I害羞草研究所檓 going to try to carve my own path. Hopefully I害羞草研究所檓 that good or half that good.

害羞草研究所淕ive it everything I got to be the best I can be.害羞草研究所�

That commitment is something Tom Bedard saw early 害羞草研究所� even before Connor was told he would have to play up a level as soon as he enrolled in minor hockey.

害羞草研究所淎lways all-in to practise or play,害羞草研究所� Tom said. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 the work ethic and the interest in the game, and the interest to get better.

害羞草研究所淛ust what he likes to do.害羞草研究所�

Then there was the time Connor broke his right hand 害羞草研究所� the bottom hand when holding a stick 害羞草研究所� but continued practising with one arm until he was healed.

Some kids would have sat on the couch for two months. But not Connor Bedard.

害羞草研究所淲asn害羞草研究所檛 surprised,害羞草研究所� Tom said. 害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 just what he does. He wants to skate, he wants to play.

害羞草研究所淒idn害羞草研究所檛 really have any other interests.害羞草研究所�

When you害羞草研究所檙e this good at something, it害羞草研究所檚 easy to understand why.

The first person granted exceptional status to play in the WHL at age 15, Bedard was in a two-horse race with Adam Fantilli to be the top pick when both suited up for Canada at the world junior hockey championship.

By the time the holiday tournament was over, there was little doubt which player would be called first in June, and it害羞草研究所檚 not like Fantilli had regressed.

It害羞草研究所檚 that Bedard, who rewrote record books thanks to his vision, bullet shot and flair for the dramatic, was breathtakingly elite in guiding the country to gold and grabbing MVP honours.

害羞草研究所淪ome of my dreams,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淭o have a few of those has been special.害羞草研究所�

And to be clear, it害羞草研究所檚 not just the North Vancouver, B.C., product害羞草研究所檚 on-ice talents that turn heads.

害羞草研究所淐ontinues to excel in all areas,害羞草研究所� said NHL Central Scouting director Dan Marr, who also pointed to Bedard害羞草研究所檚 leadership skills. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 the intangibles that can truly make a superstar.害羞草研究所�

Marr first saw Bedard in person at the under-18 world championships. Canada was up against one of the smaller nations, and the NHL害羞草研究所檚 top scout told Bedard afterwards the player appeared to think it was going to be easy.

害羞草研究所淚 think he was surprised at the level of the intensity,害羞草研究所� Marr said. 害羞草研究所淣ext game, you could see he had a completely different approach.害羞草研究所�

Pats head coach and general manager John Paddock got an up-close view of Bedard throughout his three years in Regina, including a rookie campaign cut short by COVID-19.

害羞草研究所淐ertainly didn害羞草研究所檛 take him for granted,害羞草研究所� said Paddock, who spent parts of eight seasons behind NHL benches. 害羞草研究所淚 think we害羞草研究所檒l look back at it more fondly as time grows and he害羞草研究所檚 doing what people expect him to do at the next level.害羞草研究所�

The five-foot-10, 185-pound Bedard has dominated headlines leading up to this draft, and impressed his contemporaries in the process.

害羞草研究所淗e害羞草研究所檚 been at this for a long time,害羞草研究所� said Matteo Mann, a defenceman in this year害羞草研究所檚 class. 害羞草研究所淩eally far along in the development of his physical attributes.害羞草研究所�

For all of the skills, Mann added many observers don害羞草研究所檛 realize how unique Bedard害羞草研究所檚 shot 害羞草研究所� using a longer stick than most players his size 害羞草研究所� is when it comes to manipulating the angle.

害羞草研究所淓very guy knows he害羞草研究所檚 going to pull and drag that puck,害羞草研究所� Mann said. 害羞草研究所淗e brings it in so much that it does miss your stick 害羞草研究所� it害羞草研究所檚 deceptive.害羞草研究所�

Tom Bedard has watched his son develop that, and every other aspect of his game, while navigating the pressures of teenage superstardom.

害羞草研究所淨uite a journey,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 hard to put it all together 害羞草研究所� five, six years ago he was just little.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 hard to wrap your head around it.害羞草研究所�

The Bedard family is set to share a special moment in Tennessee, but one chair will be empty.

Connor害羞草研究所檚 grandfather and Tom害羞草研究所檚 dad, Garth, was killed in a car crash in B.C. in April 2021. Connor scored two goals in the Pats害羞草研究所� next game.

害羞草研究所淗e害羞草研究所檇 be very proud of Connor,害羞草研究所� Tom said. 害羞草研究所淪eeing that he reached this point is special. It害羞草研究所檚 so unfortunate he can害羞草研究所檛 be there.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檒l just hope he害羞草研究所檚 looking out for him.害羞草研究所�

Connor and his dad have had plenty of conversations about the game. But they害羞草研究所檝e never spent much time looking back, and certainly never gazed too far ahead.

But a draft moment that was once far off in the distance now rests just over the horizon.

害羞草研究所淵ou don害羞草研究所檛 ever think of this happening,害羞草研究所� Tom Bedard said. 害羞草研究所淎lways the next shift, the next tournament, the next whatever.

害羞草研究所淣ow all of a sudden, you害羞草研究所檙e here.害羞草研究所�

Ready to embark on a trip to the NHL 害羞草研究所� one Connor Bedard is keen to take.

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