Team Canada general manager Rick Nash has made contact with the Chicago Blackhawks rookie player Connor Bedard for their upcoming involvement in the World Championship starting next May, as stated by Pierre LeBrun of TSN.
LeBrun responded on Wednesday, April 3, when questioned about the potential of Team Canada bringing on Bedard and Mason McTavish from the Anaheim Ducks center to their World Championship team. “Canada team general manager Rick Nash has reached out to those two players because their teams have been eliminated from the Stanley Cup Playoffs.”
LeBrun mentioned that Nash and Team Canada plan to contact other players once their teams are eliminated from contention in the next few days. The NHL regular season concludes on April 18 with the playoffs starting two days later on April 20.
“That’s why [Nash] has only reached out to two players so far,” according to LeBrun.
Connor Bedard is anticipated to participate in the Worlds after the NHL season
With only six teams already eliminated from the race to make the postseason, it’s understandable that we haven’t heard much speculation about potential call-ups for the upcoming World Championship.
However, that is likely to change soon as the regular season is entering the final two weeks of play on Thursday, April 4, with exactly 14 days between now and the final slate of games.
“Calls are coming around the league soon and, obviously,” LeBrun mentioned. The insider also added that there has been “no official word from Bedard just yet.”
This latest information relates to Bedard's busy season in Chicago as he nears the end of his rookie year with the Blackhawks, during which he will likely win the Calder Trophy, awarded to the best NHL rookie.
“The last couple of years have been quite busy for [Bedard] with the draft, and he also played in a couple of World Juniors,” said LeBrun. “It is expected that [Bedard] will say yes.
“All signs point to Bedard playing for Canada at the men’s worlds.”
Bedard and McTavish could be accompanied by superstar
Sidney Crosby LeBrun suggested an interesting prospect when discussing Bedard’s anticipated invitation from Team Canada: teaming up with fellow young star McTavish as well as future Hall of Fame inductee and
Pittsburgh Penguins icon Sidney Crosby, whose career earnings are approximated at $141 million ( according to CapFriendly) and who recently tiedan incredible Wayne Gretzky record. “Wouldn’t it be incredible if Sidney Crosby and Bedard were teammates at a men’s worlds?” LeBrun remarked, recalling fellow
NHL Insider Chris Johnston’s suggestion. “Yes, it’s Team Canada’s intention to approach [Sidney Crosby] if and when the Penguins get eliminated,” LeBrun disclosed. “[The Penguins] are still holding on in that playoff race but that is the plan.”
Despite all expectations, the Penguins have made a strong late-season push, winning four of their last five games entering Thursday’s slate. Pittsburgh has defeated top teams in the past few days, including the Carolina Hurricanes on March 26 and the New York Rangers on April 1.
At this time, the Penguins are still positioned at a low No. 11 in the Eastern Conference with 34-30-11, 79 points. However, Pittsburgh has seven games remaining and is just four points behind the
(83 points) in the Metropolitan Divison and has one more game to play than Philadelphia. Flyers Pittsburgh could also secure a playoff spot by taking the second wild-card position, which is currently held by
with the Caps having 82 points in 74 games. Washington Interestingly, LeBrun mentioned that Team Canada plans to “keep one or two roster spots open even after they have named their roster.”
This means that if the Penguins secure a playoff spot and make it to the playoffs, there might be an opportunity for Crosby to eventually join Team Canada’s World Championship roster if they are eliminated quickly.
According to LeBrun, Nash will make the final decisions at the end of the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, “just in case there’s a couple of high-profile players that want to go join Team Canada.”
Chicago Blackhawks rookie Connor Bedard could join forces with a future Penguins’ Hall of Famer in the World Championship.