Is Bedard more McDavid or Drai/Matthews/Mackinnon level talent?

[User9992]

Is Connor Bedard more like McDavid level talent or closer to Drai/Matthews/Mackinnon in terms of talent?

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[McRpro]

I'm not too sure he will ever reach the heights McDavid has but as a prospect he's certainly more hyped than the other 3, especially Drai. He's considered the first generational prospect since McDavid for a reason.

 

[TruePowerSlave]

McDavid level prospect, simply above the rest.

Time will tell how his pro career turns out.

 

[Took a pill in Sbisa]

i keep hearing he's in the Matthews/Mackinnon territory. What separates him from McDavid is size and speed.

 

[centipede2233]

I have bedard just as good as mcdavid at the same age. In fact, you could say bedard was more impressive up to the draft comparable to mcdavids draft. Bedard is going into a team with not much help. alot of eyes will be on bedard. The anticipation on bedard going into his rookie season reminds me of the anticipation of Crosby going into his rookie season. What I do know, is generational talents hit the ground running no matter how bad the team they are on. I expect bedard to be a 40/40 guy his first season as his floor (barring no injuries of significance)

 

[bobholly39]

Definitely McDavid
Talent/prospect doesn't always translate, so no one is saying he for sure will become as good at the NHL. But expectations are more in line with what McDavid/Crosby had going, than Drai/Matthews/Mack

 

[Pavels Dog]

McDavid wouldn't be McDavid without his otherworldly skating. Bedard is smaller and doesn't have that transcendant element to his game.

 

[ACC1224]

Bedard doesn’t skate well enough to equal McDavid.

 

[MorgantiDrinksBlood]

I honestly think Bedard will be a great player, but I don't see what some of posters see, and I've watched a ton of Bedard. He's way, way below a McDavid / Crosby level for me, but we have posters here that act like he's near that level, he's not.

McDavid wouldn't be McDavid without his otherworldly skating. Bedard is smaller and doesn't have that transcendant element to his game.

I beg to differ, McDavid losing a step is still a 120-130 point player, the way he thinks the game is completely different. He decided to win the rocket instead of dishing more, he's that great, he does what he wants on the ice. His skating his certainly tiers above the rest but it's not why he's the best in the world.

 

[blundluntman]

He's obviously a McDavid-tier prospect/talent. Has one of the best shots I've ever seen, incredible hockey IQ and great playmaking skills. I've never seen Matthews/Mackinnon/Draisaitl dominate the WJC, regular season and playoffs at the level Bedard did this year. People keep mentioning him not having McDavid's skating abilities but neither did Crosby and he was still a generational player before injuries ate away at his prime.

 

[Coffey]

Because I refuse to eat crow on HF

 

[jigglysquishy]

He has the singular best shot I've seen of a draft eligible prospect.

I don't think he will reach the heights of McDavid in the NHL. But at 18 is certainly better than anyone else since Crosby.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

He’s more of a P.A. Parenteau type actually

 

[TheImpatientPanther]

I'd say he's most like Crosby with better goal scoring ability no?

He'll flirt with 40ish goals and 120ish pts a few times (As long as Chicago surrounds him with good enough talent that is) but mostly be a top 5ish player in the league, majority of his prime years.

I see him focus on 200 ft game and being pretty good defensively with a great work ethic.
I don't think he will be as consistent as McDavid with 120 pt seasons.
Will make players around him better both on and off the ice and seems like a true leader.

 

[daver]

I honestly think Bedard will be a great player, but I don't see what some of posters see, and I've watched a ton of Bedard. He's way, way below a McDavid / Crosby level for me, but we have posters here that act like he's near that level, he's not.

He was more productive/dominant than McDavid during his junior career and dominated the WJCs along with being the best goalscoring prospect from the CHL since Mario.

When have we seen a prospect who put up generational/all-time great production not meet that level in the NHL? The answer is never.

Wayne, Mario, Lindros, Crosby, McDavid all met the hype.

 

[Fig]

IMO, Matthews/Mack/Drai is what you'd consider if he starts slipping. IMO the question should be more whether he'll be on track to match Crosby (who I think he's more similar to than CMD).

 

[Kranix]

He was more productive/dominant than McDavid during his junior career and dominated the WJCs along with being the best goalscoring prospect from the CHL since Mario.

When have we seen a prospect who put up generational/all-time great production not meet that level in the NHL? The answer is never.

Wayne, Mario, Lindros, Crosby, McDavid all met the hype.

Daigle scored 2.58 ppg in his draft year.

Anyways, he's a McDavid D+0 level prospect, but McDavid exceeded expectations at the NHL level I'd say.

 

[JoelWarlord]

As a "prospect" he's absolutely McDavid level, and at this point in his career he's accomplished more than pre-draft McDavid. As an NHL player, we don't know yet. I think it would be extremely difficult for any player to reach the Crosby/McDavid tier at Bedard's size without McDavid's freakishly good skating or Crosby's core/lower body strength, but Bedard genuinely might have the absolute best raw shooting ability in the world right now so I certainly wouldn't say it's impossible.

I look at him as something in the Patrick Kane or pre-injury Stamkos (eg. the 60G season in 11-12) archetype (and in the Draisaitl/Matthews/Mackinnon tier), but he certainly has a genuine chance of putting himself into the #1 discussion. His work ethic is absolutely ridiculous so I could also see Bedard turning into a really high-end two-way guy and his shooting ability is otherworldly.

 

[LTIR]

As a prospect he is certainly in the same tier as McDavid and Crosby. Let's see how the career plays out.

 

[daver]

Daigle scored 2.58 ppg in his draft year.

Did he dominate the league the way those players did?

 

[Kranix]

Did he dominate the league the way those players did?

I wasn't watching Junior hockey in 1992-93 but by numerous accounts he did dominate.

 

[daver]

I wasn't watching Junior hockey in 1992-93 but by numerous accounts he did dominate.

It is pretty easy to determine if he dominated the league statistically or not as much as those other players. And even if he did, Daigle was the exception and wasn't projected to be the bust that he was.

Based on his numbers in the WHL, Bedard projects to be as good as Crosby/McDavid.

 

[JaegerDice]

Closer to McDavid than the others.

 

[Kranix]

It is pretty easy to determine if he dominated the league statistically or not as much as those other players. And even if he did, Daigle was the exception and wasn't projected to be the bust that he was.

Based on his numbers in the WHL, Bedard projects to be as good as Crosby/McDavid.

No he didn't dominate in the same fashion as Lemieux and Crosby. Neither did McDavid though, did he?

 

[daver]

No he didn't dominate in the same fashion as Lemieux and Crosby. Neither did McDavid though, did he?

Can you show some numbers to back up your claims.