In recent days, a photo of Connor Bedard has gone viral on the web. The photo shows the young prodigy collapsed on the players' bench after the Regina Pats were eliminated by the Saskatoon Blades in the first round of the WHL playoffs on Monday night.
Despite his exceptional performance of 20 points (10 goals) in seven games, Connor Bedard was unable to prevent his team's defeat. Several analysts have criticized the Pats' general manager, John Paddock, for failing to build a competitive team around this player considered to be "generational". Since Bedard's debut in 2021, Paddock has only made a few minor transactions, which led to the Pats' quick elimination this season after missing the playoffs last season.
Doris Labonté's management has also been compared to Paddock's, during Sidney Crosby's time with the Rimouski Océanic. After Crosby was drafted by the QMJHL in 2003, Labonté built a competitive team around the young sensation, leading to a Memorial Cup Final appearance in 2005, ultimately lost to the London Knights.
Unfortunately, Bedard did not have this opportunity and now that his junior career seems to be over, Paddock may regret not surrounding this young prodigy with better players, instead of letting him shine in a struggling team.
