What makes Connor Bedard so special? Analyzing his top 3 attributes

Connor Bedard has been talked about as a can't-miss prospect for several years now, but what makes him so special?

Bedard is a great offensive threat and his top attributes are his shot, his speed, and his vision/hockey IQ on the ice. The Canadian played with the Regina Pats in the WHL and this past season recorded an incredible 143 points in 51 games.

Let's break down his top-three skills and what Chicago Blackhawk fans can expect from the projected first-overall pick.

#1. Connor Bedard's shot

Connor Bedard uses a very long stick - longer than most people use - but it plays to his benefit as he has a wicked shot.

Bedard also has a unique reason as to why his shot is so good. In 2018, before the Canadian was in the WHL, he broke his right wrist - his dominant hand. He was told he couldn't use it at all, as it could stunt the growth in his wrist and cause problems in the future.

However, given how much he loves hockey, he still shot pucks every day but only used his left hand - top hand on his stick - which added strength to his left hand and improved his shot.

An anonymous NHL scout spoke highly about Bedard's shot to DailyFaceoff and said Bedard may have the best shot in the NHL.

“I’m not sure there’s an NHLer, outside of maybe (Auston) Matthews, that has as deceptive of a release as Bedard. Maybe Patrick Kane. From a style perspective, Bedard has a bit of both. His shot alone is one of the best we’ve seen in a prospect in a long time. His ability to power through an odd-man rush without being taken down is mind-blowing.”

#2. Connor Bedard's speed

Along with having a dynamic shot, Connor Bedard is a game-changer with his speed.

Bedard was able to use his speed to get to open pucks and get breakaways which allowed him to score so many goals. His speed also allows him to backcheck to break up the other teams.

His speed and ability to do crossovers so quickly allow him to get open so he can fire his shot off.

#3. Connor Bedard's hockey IQ/vision

The final attribute that makes Bedard special is his hockey IQ/vision.

Along with being a great shooter and goal scorer, Bedard makes tremendous plays thanks to his vision.

Ahead of the draft, speaking to DailyFaceoff, an anonymous NHL scout said Bedard has the vision and passing ability of Mitch Marner and the shot of Auston Matthews.

“Fuse Matthews and (Mitch) Marner together. You have Connor Bedard. He has 34’s shot and 16’s skating. It makes him both unpredictable and nearly impossible to slow down when he’s at full speed.”

An anonymous WHL scout said Bedard would be one of the best passers in the NHL.

“Watch him pass. He’s one of the best in the WHL. And yet it feels like an overlooked part of his game. Head is always up. Always finding his teammates. Always making those around him much better. He isn’t afraid to go through traffic to create a play because he knows exactly where he wants to put the puck.”

With all the hype, it will be interesting to watch Connor Bedard when he presumably makes his NHL debut in October.