'Probably won't sleep tonight': Pats' Bedard hours away from hearing name called at NHL Draft

On Wednesday Connor Bedard is expected to hear his name called as the first overall pick to the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2023 National Hockey League (NHL) Draft taking place in Nashville, Tenn.

“You know nothing’s happened yet. I think for me kind of take things day by day and you know if they [Chicago] take me that would be unbelievable but you know we’ll see what happens tomorrow,” Bedard said.

On Tuesday Bedard met with the media to discuss the lead-up to the big day.

“I really enjoy these things obviously. These are really cool opportunities that you know when you’re a kid you want to have that opportunity. The draft hasn’t happened yet but it’s everything leading up to it, the combine, being in Vegas, last night with the awards. So it’s been a lot of fun and you try to take every moment and not look past anything just enjoy it,” he said.

It has been a busy time for Bedard since the Western Hockey League (WHL) season ended for him and his teammates in the first round of playoffs back in April. Since then he has been training nonstop, participated in the NHL Combine, and attended the Stanley Cup Final in Las Vegas, and then the NHL Awards on Tuesday night in Nashville. Where he earned the E.J. McGuire Award of Excellence given to the NHL prospect who exemplifies excellence.

“I actually didn’t know that,” Regina Pats head coach and general manager, John Paddock said with a laugh. “I saw his dad early this morning and he talked about last night but never mentioned Connor getting the award. So that makes me smile, that’s the humble background of him and his family.”

“I actually know the award and know the fellow that it’s named after it. I knew him very well and this is really unique for him winning it,” he added.

Paddock will be in attendance to watch Bedard walk across the stage and put on the jersey of his future team.

“It’s a foregone conclusion what’s going to happen here, who’s going to be the first pick regardless of the team and you know if I was to give any advice it would just be really to enjoy it and take it all in. Handle it professionally like you’re [already] doing,” Paddock said.

“I always loved playing the game and you know I woke up every day and wanted to be on the ice. So that was kind of my mindset. Everyone’s dream is to play in the NHL and it’s still my dream so I hope to achieve that one day,” Bedard said.

“Me and [Nate] Danielson were talking about how we’re probably not going to sleep at all tonight. We’ll probably be pretty wound up,” Bedard joked. “It’s just super exciting that it’s so close and being here with friends and family. It’s hard to kind of have words for it.”

This is not the first time Paddock has been in attendance for the NHL Draft, he has been to every single one since he joined the Pats organization.

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“[I come] for various reasons. The first year we had I think five guys [from the Pats] picked. Some of it’s to do with trying to run into people for the European Draft and make some connections there because that’s coming up on the docket here soon,” Paddock explained.

This year it will be a first for Paddock to watch one of his players receive the honour of being drafted first overall.

“It’s pretty exciting for sure. I mean for many years I was on the receiving end of players at drafts at the table. It’s a really neat thing it’s a big complimentary thing to the organization and your program and the way things are going,” Paddock said.

I think back to the year we had five guys drafted was pretty special. So it’s just a culmination of a lot of people’s work ethic and time. For these young guys and for Connor, he started playing hockey when he was five or six, so it’s a combination of that,” Paddock added.

Moose Jaw Warriors head coach Mark O’Leary will also be in attendance on Wednesday. It is expected that Warriors’ forward Brayden Yager will also be taken in the first round.

Mock drafts have Yager listed around the 18th pick which right now belongs to the Winnipeg Jets. However, one has him listed as high as 14th which belongs to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

“It’s a long process to get to that point where they actually select and we’ve had conversations with pretty much every team about Brayden and he meets with them throughout the year. I know it doesn’t really matter, he’s going to go in the first day and whoever gets him is going to be lucky. They get a real good player and one heck of a kid,” O’Leary said.

“It’s exciting. I think that especially when you get to know these players early on and for Brayden he was 15 when he came in. He’s a player that we’re proud of. He’s put in an awful lot of work to this point and it’s people like him that you get really excited to go across the stage and have their moment,” O’Leary added.

Yager finished the 2022-23 WHL season with 78 points in 67 games.

“It’s just enjoy it. It’s the end of June. It’s a long time between now and puck drop for us. Right now it’s about enjoying this. I know the work’s not done but right now it’s about him and his family and enjoying the moment,” O’Leary said on what advice he would give Yager.

Mock drafts have as many as seven players from the WHL listed as predictions to go in the first round.

“Obviously a great class and I get to play against a lot of guys in the western league and you know it’s been a lot of fun. Just for me getting to play against them a lot and watch them all the time, this year being our draft year, has been awesome,” Bedard said when asked about his draft classmates.

The first round of the 2023 NHL Draft gets underway at 5 p.m. on Wednesday. Rounds two through seven will take place on Thursday.