The 17-year-old forward led the 2023 tournament with 23 points (9 goals, 14 assists), which is the fourth production in a single edition of the tournament.
The Canadian Press reviews the five greatest offensive performances in the history of the World Junior Hockey Championship.
Peter Forsberg, Suède
Forsberg still tops the list of greatest offensive performances at a World Junior Championship following his appearances at the 1993 tournament in Sweden, Norway and Denmark.
Forsberg had 31 points (7 goals, 24 assists) in 7 outings, but was unable to lead his country to a triumph over Canada in the gold medal game.
He eventually scored the winning goal in the shootout in the grand final at the 1994 Olympics in Lillehammer, avenging their loss to Canada at the world juniors. It was his first of two Olympic gold medals, the other having been acquired in 2006 in Turin.
Forsberg would enjoy a 13-season career in the National Hockey League (NHL), which spanned from 1994 to 2011. He won two Stanley Cups and also won the Hart, Art Ross and Calder trophies. Forsberg completed his career with 885 points (249 goals, 636 assists) in 708 games.
Markus Naslund, Sweden
Naslund was the 1993 tournament’s top scorer with 13 goals. He also had 11 assists to finish just behind Forsberg.
Markus Naslund in 2002
Photo : Getty Images / Clive Mason
Selected 10 places behind his compatriot in the 1991 draft (16th overall), Naslund played for 15 seasons in the NHL, between 1993 and 2009, including just over 11 in the uniform of the Vancouver Canucks. During his career, which began with the Pittsburgh Penguins and ended with the New York Rangers, Naslund had 869 points (395 goals, 474 assists) in 1,117 games.
Raimo Helminen, Finland
Helminen came to prominence with a then-tournament record 24 points at the 1984 World Junior Championship (Sweden, France and Italy), including 11 goals.
Finland took the silver medal, losing in the final to the Soviet Union in Sweden. Helminen also represented his country at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. The same year, he was drafted in the second round by the New York Rangers.
Helminen played in the NHL in the 1985-86 and 1986-87 seasons, as well as in 1988-89, before heading to Europe where he played the last 18 seasons of his professional career. In 117 NHL games, he scored 59 points, including 13 goals.
Connor Bedard, Canada
Connor Bedard
Photo: The Canadian Press/Darren Calabrese
Bedard outrageously outplayed all other players at the 2023 tournament while collecting a second gold medal in five months with Canada at the World Junior Championship.
He established Canadian records for most points and assists during the same edition of the tournament. He tied the Canadian mark for most tournament goals (14) and surpassed Jaromir Jagr for most tournament points by a player 18 or younger.
The North Vancouver native will return to the Regina Pats of the Junior League West, where he will look to continue to establish himself as the eventual No. 1 pick in the upcoming NHL Draft.
Robert Reichel, Czechoslovakia
Reichel led all players in the 1990 tournament played in Finland with 21 points (11 goals, 10 assists) as Czechoslovakia (now Czechia and Slovakia) won the bronze medal.
A fourth-round pick of the Calgary Flames in 1989, Reichel played for 11 seasons in the NHL, between 1990 and 2004. He also played for the New York Islanders, Phoenix Coyotes and Toronto Maple Leafs. He finished his career with 630 points (252 goals, 378 assists) in 830 games.
