Where is Connor Bedard from? Tracing back Blackhawks star's roots

Connor Bedard, the Chicago Blackhawks' No. 1 pick in the 2023 NHL draft, is widely considered a generational talent and is often compared to the likes of Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby.

Bedard, 18, was born on July 17, 2005, and hails from North Vancouver, British Columbia, the westernmost province of Canada. He was born to Tom and Melanie and also has one sister, Madisen.

Bedard comes from a hockey family; as his great-great uncle James was a professional hockey player for the Chicago Blackhawks during the "original six" era. He used to play as a defenseman and appeared in 22 NHL games.

Connor Bedard's remarkable journey to the NHL

The 18-year-old kicked off his junior career with West Vancouver Academy Prep, an affiliate of the Canadian School Hockey League, where he played for their U-15 and U-18 teams.

During that time, Bedard excelled and finished the season as the league's leading scorer, earning him the Most Valuable Player award in both years.

Bedard was so exceptional and talented that Hockey Canada awarded him the exceptional player status in 2020. The 18-year-old later joined the Regina Pats of the Western Hockey League where continued to excel in his stellar performances.

During the 2021-22 season, Bedard became the youngest player in the WHL to score 50 or more goals in a single season. He finished that campaign with 100 points, thanks to 51 goals and 49 assists.

Last season, Bedard led WHL in scoring with 143 points (71 goals, 72 assists) in just 57 games and became the first player to do so since 1995-96. All of these signs pointed to Bedard becoming the next "big thing" in the NHL.

As a result, the Chicago Blackhawks got the opportunity to draft him with the first overall pick in this year's draft. Bedard made his Blackhawks debut in a 4-2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins.