Blackhawks Connor Bedard Sagging, Lukas Reichel Surging IIHF World Championship

Calder Trophy finalist Bedard skated just 8:08 and 10 shifts for Canada on Tuesday after fast start at Worlds. Reichel now has more points at tournament.

Here's a switch: the Blackhawks Lukas Reichel has more points than Connor Bedard.

OK, it's at the 2024 IIHF World Championship in Czechia, not in the NHL. But still...

The 18-year-old Bedard led the Blackhawks and NHL rookies with 22 goals and 61 points in 68 games in 2023-24. Reichel, considered Chicago's top prospect until Bedard was drafted first overall in 2023, struggled last season and was sent to AHL Rockford for a month to get his focus and game together. 

The 22-year-old Reichel, Chicago's first-round draft pick in 2020, finished with just five goals and 16 points in 65 games.

The story is turning out differently at the Worlds.

Bedard was held without a point for the fourth straight game in Canada's 4-3 overtime win versus Czechia on Tuesday before 17,314 at the Prague Arena. He had five goals and an assist in Canada's first three games, but has seen his effectiveness and ice time dwindle since.

Bedard skated just 8:08 and 10 shifts on Tuesday, the lowest of any Canadian forward. He managed one shot on goal.

Reichel had a goal and an assist in Germany's 6-3 win over France. The wiry forward has three goals and seven points in five games. He missed the first two contests at the Worlds as he skated in four playoff games with Rockford after the Blackhawks' season ended.

Canada sewed up first place in Group A on Tuesday as Buffalo Sabres center Dylan Cozens scored his second goal of the game and eighth of the tournament – this one short-handed – at 3:13 of overtime.

With Los Angeles Kings forward Pierre-Luc Dubois off for holding, Cozens carried the puck into the Czech zone and beat Lukas Dostal with a backhander. Dostal, the Anaheim Ducks 23-year-old netminder, got the nod over the Blackhawks Petr Mrazek in this one.

Former Blackhawk Brandon Hagel and New Jersey's Dawson Mercer also scored for Canada, now 7-2-0-0. The Canadians will play Slovakia in the quarterfinals.