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Connor Bedard makes his feelings known on being left-off Canada roster for 4 Nation Face-Off

Modified Dec 06, 2024 02:21 GMT

As players from across the National Hockey League will begin gathering in Boston and Montreal for the 4 Nations Faceoff Tournament in February, Team Canada won't have the services of one of the League's top bright and young talents.

Chicago Blackhawks forward Connor Bedard, who was the No. 1 overall selection in the 2023 NHL Draft, was left off Team Canada by GM Don Sweeney.

Bedard has a prolonged scoring slump this season for the Blackhawks, who terminated head coach Luke Richardson earlier on Thursday after their sluggish start to the season and last-place standing in the Central Division.

But Bedard doesn't appear too concerned over his snub.

"I don't know, I mean you kind of sleep in the bed you make, and I obviously haven't been too happy with the start of the year, but for me, it'll be a good time," he said during a live TV interview. "Like I said you can use that for a little motivation, keep working hard and trying to get better, and that's what I'm going to do."

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The 4 Nations Faceoff will take place between February 12 through February 20 and feature players from Canada, the USA, Finland, and Sweden; the games will be played at Boston's TD Garden and Montreal's Bell Centre.

Team Canada GM Don Sweeney explains why Bedard was snubbed

According to Team Canada GM Don Sweeney, the time wasn't right for Bedard due to some of the sophomore slump challenges that he's faced in 2024-25.

“Going through the second time around the League now, [so to] speak, in your second year, there are some challenges associated with that,” Sweeney said Thursday. “He’s working through that right now."

However, Sweeney said Bedard would not only get his game in order, but that this learning experience will only help him in the future.

"He’s working through that situation where he gets all the attention possible from the best players he’s playing against each and every night. So, I think he’s living and breathing it right now, and it’s only going to help him build his resume.”

Bedard has already experienced a 12-game scoreless drought this season, and only has five goals in his first 26 games; he's on pace to light the lamp only 16 times.