It's been just over week since Connor Bedard was last seen in skates, in Canada's bronze medal game loss to Sweden at the IIHF World Championship in Prague on May 26. That's about as long as the Chicago Blackhawks' 18-year-old Calder Trophy finalist can recall ever being off the ice, by his own choice at least. "We had a lot of quarantines, obviously, during COVID, but that's not my choice," Bedard said. "I don't know, maybe a week or a little more than that. Not too long usually." Bedard is probably back home in North Vancouver, British Columbia or en route. He skates there during the summer in 3-on-3's with other B.C. Lower Mainland "hockey homies," led by the N.Y. Islanders Mathew Barzal plus other NHLers and prospects. In a way, it's sort of like a sockeye salmon in search of its spawning waters. In this case, the water is artificially frozen and groomed for skating. Even after suffering a broken jaw on Jan. 5, Bedard was back on the ice about 10 days later by himself. [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjA0Mjk5Mjg2NTA1MDcxNzIy/connor-bedard-in-practice-feb-12-2024.jpg] Even after suffering a broken jaw on Jan. 5, Bedard was back on the ice about 10 days later by himself. It might be at the North Shore Winter Club, where Bedard first played, or at another rink somewhere in the Vancouver area. Plenty of facilities, including a big multi-sheet Scotia Barn complex in Burnaby, dot the B.C. Lower Mainland where prime ice time approaches $400 an hour. Presumably, Bedard and his buddies will get a better price, even if they don't skate during the day or really late. "We've got a really good group in the summer for skates," Bedard said. "We do a best-of-seven at least once a week and a lot of bragging rights go into that. Guys are pretty intense, which is great, and we can get a good thing going in the summer. It's a lot of fun." See following video. Connor Bedard skates in summer with fellow NHL players and prospects from the Vancouver area. The Islanders' Mathew Barzal is in the group. Besides Barzal, Bedard's group includes Kent Johnson and Jake Christiansen of the Columbus Blue Jackets, Angus Crookshank of the Ottawa Senators and pal Andrew Cristall, a 19-year-old Burnaby product who was drafted 40th overall by Washington last season and just finished his fourth WHL season with Kelowna. The group is filled out by Vancouver-area natives who skate in junior, college or another high level. The Blackhawks hope Bedard and a healthy Taylor Hall will connect next season. [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjA2MTA1NzgzNTcyNjM2NzI4/taylor-hall--connor-bedard.jpg] The Blackhawks hope Bedard and a healthy Taylor Hall will connect next season. "I think the biggest thing is everyone wants to get better," Bedard said. "Everyone loves hockey and that's kind of the best part of the group we've got there." Bedard and friends also play roller hockey in the summer about once a week. You can't blame Bedard for not posting a schedule. Locals may find out and share it on social media soon enough. That said, the NHL's 2023-24 rookie scoring leader never seems to mind when minor hockey players and kids of all ages watch him skate, and then seemingly tinker on the ice with pucks. That was the case after practices in Chicago and on the road last season. More on the reason for the "tinkering" is coming in an upcoming story.
