Connor Bedard played his final game of his 2023-24 season on April 18 at Los Angeles. The Blackhawks rookie got cheated out of extra ice time — and maybe a flashy finish — in that one when the Kings Adrian Kempe scored just 6 seconds into overtime to win it 5-4. Bedard was on the ice, along with fellow rookie, defenseman Kevin Korchinski, and regular linemate Philipp Kurashev for the 3-on-3. Mitch Marner (in blue, right) keeps his eye on Connor Bedard in a game in Toronto on Oct. 16, 2023. [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjA2MDg4MTk4NjM0MzUwNDk5/usatsi_21663889_168401008_lowres.jpg] Mitch Marner (in blue, right) keeps his eye on Connor Bedard in a game in Toronto on Oct. 16, 2023. Fans will next see Bedard, hockey's highest-skilled and highest-profile rink rat, on the ice for practice with Team Canada for the 2024 IIFH World Championship in Czechia. The 16-team tournament opens on May 10 and Canada's first game is on May 11 versus Great Britain in Prague. But it would be hard to believe that Bedard wouldn't have laced 'em on somewhere, regularly, before then, following a first NHL season when he scored 22 goals and 61 points to lead rookies. Even after surgery on Jan. 8 to repair a broken jaw, Bedard was back on the ice at the Fifth Third Arena a week later — albeit on his own in a green no-contact jersey and behind a full facial shield. NEVER STOPS SKATING: READY FOR WORLDS That's about as close to as long as Bedard can recall ever having been off the ice, except maybe during the pandemic, he said. "I mean I had a lot of quarantines during COVID, but that's not my choice," Bedard said. "Maybe a week or a little more than that. Not too long usually." Bedard added he has plenty left in the tank for the World Championship after running virtually non-stop from September 2023. Connor Bedard's always ready for a puck drop. [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjA0OTgxMjAzMjk0NjkzMTE2/usatsi_22762144_168401008_lowres.jpg] Connor Bedard's always ready for a puck drop. "You're playing every other day, obviously, but I think I figured out my routine pretty well and I was able to feel pretty good," Bedard said."There's games you're going to be tired and that's just being a human being. "There were games I was tired in junior last year, that's something you're never going to get away from. You've got to learn how to play tired and be impactful in that way," he added. "But overall I feel pretty good." See video. Connor Bedard says he's not tired after his first full NHL season. H'e ready to skate into the IIHF World Championship for Canada. After the World Championship, expect Bedard to return home to the the Vancouver area. He skates there regularly in the summer with other local former and current junior and college players, some of whom have graduated to pro teams. Bedard listed the Islanders' Mathew Barzal, Columbus' Kent Johnson and Jake Christiansen, Ottawa's Angus Cruickshank and Washington draftee Andrew Cristall among his Lower Mainland B.C. "hockey homies." They skate in spirited 3-on-3s in an area where prime ice time approaches $400 an hour. See video. Connor Bedard skates in summer with fellow NHL players and prospects from the Vancouver area. The Islanders' Mathew Barzal is in the group. OTHER BLACKHAWKS AT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP Kevin Korchinski (55, in air) and Connor Bedard celebrate Korchinski's OT goal against Toronto on Nov. 24, 2023. [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjAyNDQ4Nzk2ODkyODAwMDEy/usatsi_21963692_168401008_lowres.jpg] Kevin Korchinski (55, in air) and Connor Bedard celebrate Korchinski's OT goal against Toronto on Nov. 24, 2023. Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson and coach Luke Richardson both approve of their young players getting the experience of playing for their countries in the highest-level competition available, outside of the NHL playoffs. The 19-year-old Korchinski would have liked to played for Team Canada, but wasn't named to the squad on May 3. The Saskatoon, Saskatchewan native also said he had plenty of energy left, and the smooth-skating D-man might have looked terrific on a wider international rink. Other Blackhawks are set to skate in Prague and Ostrava, Czechia. Defensemen Seth Jones and Alex Vlasic, paired for much of the season, will play for Team USA. Jones seemed excited to keep playing, despite leading the Blackhawks and rating fourth in the NHL with 25:29 of ice time per game. The 22-year-old Vlasic was pumped for his first chance at the World's and a terrific first-full NHL season. The 6-foot-6 Chicago area native signed a new contract with the Blackhawks last week that cements him as part of the rebuilding team's defense core. Goalie Petr Mrazek will tend nets for host Czechia after a resurgent season in Chicago. He looked forward not just to playing for his homeland in his homeland, but also showing Blackhawks teammates around Prague, his hometown. Kurashev will skate for Switzerland after a breakout season with Chicago. The winger scored 18 goals and 54 points in 75 games skating mostly on a line with Bedard. Both Bedard and Kurashev finished minus-44 on a team with a minus-111 goals differential. They both want to score against Mrazek. Kurashev (left) and Bedard celebrate a goal. [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjA1NjY3Njg1NjM0MTU2MDYx/connor-bedard--philipp-kurashev.jpg] Kurashev (left) and Bedard celebrate a goal. Lukas Reichel could play for Germany, but it depends on if the Rockford IceHogs advance in the AHL playoffs. Reichel is taking regular shifts in the minors after a rough 2023-24 season with the Blackhawks. The IceHogs and Grand Rapids Griffins were tied 1-1 in a five game series entering Friday night.
