Connor Bedard is seen by many as the world's greatest ice hockey talent right now, and impressed greatly when Canada recently won the Junior World Cup.
He accounted for an impressive 23 points in seven games in the tournament, and will – if nothing sensational happens in the next six months – be chosen as the first player in this summer's NHL draft.
"Missed this"
Last night he was back in his home club Regina Pats in the Canadian junior league WHL.
Then he scored his best game so far in his WHL career: Six points, including four goals, in the 6–2 victory against the Calgary Hitmen.
- It was fun!
I have missed this.
It's my favorite rink.
It's been a few months since I was able to play here, and what a payoff we got tonight.
There was energy and a lot of people here, so it was fun for us.
"We're looking forward to the future," Bedard told the Regina Leader-Post, after his first home game since Nov. 12.
"Want to produce"
It was notable that two of Bedard's goals were scored in a numerical disadvantage.
- For my own part, it's not like I think I'm going to score a lot of points.
I just try to go out and play.
It is clear that I want to score and that I want to produce.
When I'm out there with the puck, I want to do good things and be creative, but that doesn't always lead to points.
I just want to play my game and if the points come, that's great, says the 17-year-old mega-talent.
See Bedard's four goals in the clip above