Bedard Aims to Join Gretzky, Crosby, McDavid on the Canadian Junior Hockey Team at 16 | The Canadian News

The half dozen who played for the Canadian youth men’s hockey team at age 16 are peppered with names like Gretzky, Crosby and McDavid.

Connor Bedard from North Vancouver, BC wants to join that group at the selection camp in Calgary.

It is a difficult task for a younger teenager to compete against more mature players in the U-20 world championship.

Bedard, the first Western Hockey League player to receive “exceptional status” and enter the WHL at age 15, led the Regina Pats in scoring with 14 goals and 10 assists in 24 games in his second season by reaching the selection field.

READ MORE: Connor Bedard invited to Team Canada’s World Youth Selection Camp

Bedard was still 16 years old when he contributed seven goals and seven assists in seven games to Canada’s U-18 men’s world title in April.

The five-foot-nine, 180-pounder is among the top 20 forwards on the junior team’s selection field that concludes Monday when Canada’s 25-man roster is unveiled.

“He has to be in the top 22 players, that’s what he has to do,” Canadian head coach Dave Cameron said. “It has to be who Connor Bedard is, which is really good with the record. He is a talented player. He has to come and prove it against this age group. “

Canada kicks off the world under-20 tournament in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alta., On December 26 against the Czech Republic.

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READ MORE: Selection Camp Kicks Off With Canadian Junior Men’s Hockey Team Roster Changes

It looks like Bedard has a long track to play for Canada’s youth in the future given his age, but those possibilities are limited if the NHL club that recruits him in 2023 decides to keep an 18-year-old Bedard on its roster.

“You go in with the intention of doing it,” Bedard said. “These guys are a couple of years older and they are the best players in the country.

“It is a short camp. It will be a couple of games and, obviously, some practice. In that short time, he’s just trying to show them my game and how I can help the team win a gold medal. “

Campers from Canada will face a U Sports team in games on Saturday and Sunday. Both defender Lukas Cormier and forward Mason McTavish skated on Friday.

Cormier’s flight to Calgary was delayed and McTavish stayed off the ice Thursday awaiting the results of a COVID-19 test.

Wayne Gretzky (1978), Eric Lindros (1990), Jason Spezza and Jay Bouwmeester (2000), Sidney Crosby (2004) and Connor McDavid (2014) all played for the Canadian youth at age 16.

McDavid turned 17 a week after the tournament ended. Bouwmeester is the only defender in the group and was the youngest at 16 years, two months and 29 days.

Kingston Frontenacs forward Shane Wright was invited to last year’s selection field in Red Deer when he was 16 years old and was released.

That camp was interrupted by a 14-day hotel quarantine for all players after two tested positive for COVID-19, so the time for the Burlington, Ontario forward to test himself was shortened.

Wright, who was Canada’s U-18 captain and Bedard’s teammate, is back at 17.

“Just the disappointment of not being part of that team, going into camp, my goal was to get to that team and it wasn’t the case,” Wright said. “So I think use that as motivation to join the team this year.”

Wright and Bedard are among seven players awarded “exceptional status” in major youth hockey that for the past 16 years allows an underage player to enter those leagues if they meet certain criteria.

Current Toronto Maple Leafs captain John Tavares, Aaron Ekblad, McDavid, Sean Day and Wright all earned exceptional status from OHL. Joe Veleno is the only QMJHL player to receive that designation.

READ MORE: Regina Pats’ Connor Bedard Named Western Hockey League Best Rookie for 2020-21

The 15-year-old Bedard compiled 12 goals and 16 assists in 15 games for the Pats in a 2020-21 season shortened by the pandemic.

The OHL didn’t work, so Wright says he used time to increase his strength and power.

“That’s a big part of my game that I’ve really improved on,” he said.

He led Canada with one goal and two assists in the U-18 final in Texas, and tied Bedard by 14 points in the tournament, leading the team.