Team Canada is going to be a tough team to crack for many players that are more than deserving, but Canada produces a ton of high-end players. Connor Bedard didn’t make the cut at the 4 Nations Faceoff, but he has taken his game to a whole new level this season and is third in goals (18), fourth in points (39), and tied in 11th in assists (21) in the entire NHL through 27 games this season.
This isn’t just a small sample size. Bedard has led the Chicago Blackhawks all season and consistently dominated, expanding the things he does in games. Some will still say Macklin Celebrini should make Team Canada over Bedard, but there’s no reason why both shouldn’t be on the team and in scoring roles.
Craig Button said, “Connor Bedard is my third-line right winger, ahead of Mitch Marner.” That’s not a crazy thing to say either. Marner can pass and is a strong two-way player, but among a group as strong as what Team Canada has to bring, that’s fourth line material to shut down another line.
Marner has five goals and 25 points in 26 games. For how much experience and how many people think he’s a lock for the top-6 on Team Canada while Bedard is seen as a question mark, Marner has one more blocked shot and Bedard has one more takeaway and giveaway on the season in one extra game.
There should absolutely be a bit of a recency bias as it also indicates who’s hot and who’s colder. Bedard would be able to contribute more than Marner in more of a scoring role as Marner hasn’t taken over games for the Vegas Golden Knights and he has hardly been talked about this season. Bedard has been one of the show-stealers this season.
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