Chicago Blackhawks
Analyst Argues Bedard Over Ex-Leaf and Proven Star on Team Canada
One analyst doesn’t just want Connor Bedard on Team Canada, he wants him higher in the lineup than this superstar winger.
Connor Bedard has taken the NHL by storm in his third season as a pro, and his play has many believing he should be a lock to make the Canadian Olympic team. Despite his dominance, it could still be a difficult task given the amount of talent Canada has at its disposal. Traditionally, Hockey Canada has preferred the veteran route in a tournament that favors experience.
That being said, sometimes tough choices have to be made, even if they are uncomfortable. In Bedard’s case, he has to be on that team.
TSN hockey analyst Craig Button understands that. He knows that Bedard is not only one of the best Canadians in the world, but one of the best players, period. Because of that, he thinks the Blackhawks superstar deserves to make Team Canada, and not just as an extra, but as the third line right winger ahead of fellow superstar Mitch Marner.
“Connor Bedard’s on my team… Now I’m going to make a big statement here: Connor Bedard’s my third-line right winger, ahead of Mitch Marner. And now I’ve got Tommy Wilson on the fourth line, for me, locked in on the team. Now it comes down to Bruce Cassidy. If I’m Doug Armstrong, I’m turning to Bruce Cassidy, and I’m going Who do you feel more comfortable with, Mark Stone or Mitch Marner?”
The 20-year-old Bedard has been fantastic through 26 games this season, racking up 38 points (17 goals, 21 assists), on pace to shatter his career highs in every statistical category.
Comparing Connor Bedard and Mitch Marner’s Seasons
While Button’s take may seem a little too hot on the surface, Bedard has been drastically better than Marner thus far in 2025-26.
We know about the staggering numbers the 2023 first overall pick has been producing, while Marner, on the other hand, has not exactly hit the ground running in Vegas.
The 28-year-old has put up 25 points (five goals, 20 assists) in his first 26 games as a Golden Knight, which, while not bad by any stretch, is below his usual standards, and the goal scoring has been especially dry.
Given the momentum Bedard will be carrying with him, it’s more than fair to imagine him being slotted higher in the lineup than Marner, though there are still two months until the games kick off, so a lot can change in that time.
Next: Do Quinn Hughes’ Comments About Toronto Mean Anything?
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