The IIHF U18 World Championship is one of the final opportunities for draft prospects to raise their stock before the NHL draft in the summer. But there's one Canadian prospect that won't be in attendance.
Canada's roster consists of a number of 2023 NHL draft prospects, including projected first-rounders Calum Ritchie, Matthew Wood, Andrew Cristall and Lukas Dragicevic. However, the biggest name ahead of the 2023 draft won't be with Team Canada in Switzerland, Connor Bedard.
Despite being both eligible and available, the 17-year-old budding superstar won't be participating in the tournament, as Canada aims for its first gold medal since 2021.
The Sporting News explains why Bedard is not at the U18 World Championship with Canada.
Why Connor Bedard isn't at the 2023 IIHF U18 World Championship
Bedard isn't participating with Canada at the 2023 IIHF U18 World Championship frankly because there is no reason for him to be.
While others are using this opportunity to help raise their draft stock, Bedard's can't get any higher. He is the consensus No. 1 pick for the 2023 draft, coming off an insanely productive WHL season where he posted 71 goals and 143 points in just 57 games with the Regina Pats.
Bedard played for Canada at the U18 tournament for the last two years. In 2021, he recorded seven goals and seven assists, good for 14 points in seven games, and helped the team to a gold medal.
As the captain in 2022, Bedard was a point-per-game player again, finishing the tournament with eight points in seven games, including four goals. He and Canada missed out on the podium, as the team was eliminated in the quarterfinals by Finland.
Playing in the tournament again this year would do no good for Bedard. Not only is it just added games that he could potentially suffer an injury in, but he would also dominate at this level.
He ripped up the World Juniors this past winter, which was against older competition. Bedard broke multiple Canadian records, helping Canada to its second consecutive gold medal.
When is the 2023 IIHF U18 World Championship?
- Start: Thursday, April 20
- End: Sunday, April 30
The 2023 IIHF U18 World Championship begins on Thursday, April 20. The preliminary round begins that day and will run until Tuesday, April 25.
The playoff portion of the tournament begins on Thursday, April 27 with the quarterfinals. The teams have an off day before the semifinals on Saturday, April 29 and the medal matches on Sunday, April 30.
How to watch the 2023 IIHF U18 World Championship on
- TV Channel (U.S.): NHL Network
- Live stream (U.S.): Fubo
- TV Channel (Canada): TSN, RDS
- Live stream (U.S.): TSN.ca, TSN app
In the United States, all games involving Team USA and other select pool play games will be broadcast on NHL Network. The network will have both semifinal games and the medal games.
Cord cutters can stream NHL Network through Fubo, which offers a free trial.
Canadians can view games on TSN (English language) or RDS (French language). The network will carry every game with Canada involved at the tournament and select other games, including all of the playoff contests.
TSN can be streamed on TSN.ca, through the TSN App and TSN+.
Where is the 2023 IIHF U18 World Championship?
- Cities: Basel/Porrentruy, Switzerland
- Venues: St. Jakob Arena/Raiffeisen Arena
This year's IIHF World Championship is taking place in Switzerland.
Group A will play its pool play games at Raiffeisen Arena in Porrentruy. Group B has its preliminary round at St. Jakob Arena in Basel. All of the playoff and relegation games will take place in Basel.
It is the first time that either Basel or Porrentruy is hosting the U18 tournament. This is the third time the competition has been played in Switzerland, previously being held in Kloten and Weinfelden in 2000, and then in Zug and Lucerne in 2015.
