8, right wing Gabriel Perreault (5-11, 165) is No. 5, center Oliver Moore (5-11, 188) is No. Right wing Ryan Leonard (5-11, 192) is No. He was named the best forward and most valuable player at the 2023 IIHF World Under-18 Championship after leading the gold medal-winning United States with 20 points (nine goals, 11 assists) that tied Jack Hughes' tournament record for the United States set in 2019. He led the NTDP with 2.12 points per game and ranked second in assists (76) and points (127) in 60 games this season. Smith (6-0, 181) is one of five from the program projected to be chosen in the first round. There are 13 players from the NTDP attending the combine, including goalies Trey Augustine (6-1, 183) and Carsen Musser (6-4, 215). They were able to teach me a lot in that sense." I think everything is just elevated when you get to this level. "I learned so much at this tournament on the ice and in the locker room, how to fit in with guys that age, guys with that skill level, how they practice, their game habits. "I grew up watching my entire life and he gave me that pass and it ended up going in, but it was a pretty surreal feeling," Fantilli said. He'll never forget his goal to give Canada a 3-2 lead at 8:56 of the third period off a pass from linemate Milan Lucic in a 4-2 win against Latvia in the semifinal round May 27. The 18-year-old center (6-2, 195) not only was the first Canada-born player to win a gold medal at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship and 2023 IIHF World Championship in the same season, he's the first player to win both tournaments and the Hobey Baker Award as the top player in NCAA men's hockey in the same year.įantilli had three points (one goal, three assists) in 10 games while averaging 12:25 of ice time in a top-six role at the World Championship in Finland. "I'll find out when I get there but I haven't been in the gym too much because I was overseas, so we'll see." "I'm not particularly sure," he said while in Las Vegas. 2 pick, should be in good spirits upon his arrival at the combine, though he said Monday he doesn't think he'll do any testing. He had 20 points (10 goals, 10 assists) in the seven-game series to become the first WHL player since 2012 to score at least 10 goals in a single playoff series.įantilli, the projected No. 3 selection.īedard hasn't played competitive hockey since April 10, when Regina lost 4-1 to Saskatoon in Game 7 of the opening round of the WHL playoffs. 2 pick and the Columbus Blue Jackets own the No. 1 on Central Scouting's final ranking of International skaters. Carlsson, a center for Orebro in the Swedish Hockey League, is No. 2 on Central Scouting's final ranking of North American skaters, and center William Smith of USA Hockey's National Team Development Program Under-18 team is No. "I'd be super grateful to the people who have helped me with that, but for me, it's just kind of focusing on what I can do now to improve myself as a player."įantilli, a center at the University of Michigan is No. 1, but I think whether you get drafted first or whatever round, it's a dream come true, and if I if I get that honor, it'd be unreal," Bedard said. The 17-year-old right-shot center hasn't concerned himself with who could go No. 1 on NHL Central Scouting's final ranking of North American skaters presented by BioSteel, and fellow NHL Draft-eligible forward prospects Adam Fantilli, William Smith and Leo Carlsson are each attending Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final between the Florida Panthers and Vegas Golden Knights on Monday.īedard (5-foot-10, 185 pounds) of Regina in the Western Hockey League won the Canadian Hockey League Top Prospect, Top Scorer, and David Branch Player of the Year awards after leading the WHL in goals (71) and points (143) in 57 regular-season games. 1 pick in the 2023 Upper Deck NHL Draft, is expected to begin interviews at the NHL Scouting Combine on Wednesday.īedard, No. BUFFALO - Connor Bedard, the projected No.
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