As the 2023 NHL Draft gets nearer, I continue to embark on a comparison of the top-rated players in this draft to assess how they match up with their competition. In so doing, it is helpful for me to analyze their performance for their club teams, as well as international tournaments in which they have taken part. For example, Connor Bedard currently has 142 points (70 goals, 72 assists) in 55 games played with Regina this season. Bedard also has a plus-minus rating of +44, very impressive considering the Pats have been outscored 257-269 as they currently occupy 4th place in the WHL’s 6-team East Division. As has been well-documented, Bedard also had 23 points (9 goals, 14 assists) in 7 games for Team Canada at the 2023 World Junior Championship, and was a +14 for the gold-medal winners.
Concerning Leo Carlsson, he has amassed 25 points (10 goals, 15 assists) in 44 games for HC Orebro in the Swedish Hockey League, and is a -5 for his club (4th place overall, with a record of 28-24). Similar to Bedard’s Pats, Orebro’s goals for / goals against totals (155-141) are fairly close to a 1:1 ratio, thus rendering Carlsson’s individual rating slightly below average for his team. Because this is Sweden’s top professional league, a much more accurate comparison of the players is their performance at the world juniors. Carlsson had 6 points (3 goals, 3 assists) in 7 games for the Swedes at the event, and had a plus-minus rating of +4.
The not surprising conclusion is that Bedard remains at the top of the list, although the team who lands Carlsson will be getting a player of high caliber.