HALIFAX Connor Bedard made sure to end the debate before his draft year even started: He will be the first overall pick in the next NHL draft.

Forget the famous debate that takes place every year when we try to identify a player who has the potential to outperform the consensus leader. It is true that it happened in 2017 – Nico Hischier before Nolan Patrick – and 2022 – Juraj Slafkowski and Co. ahead of Shane Wright.

It won’t happen in 2024. Connor Bedard is way ahead of the competition. Far far away.

So much so that we don’t know how to come up with new questions at the Junior World Championships to ask his teammates about him. That’s good, because they don’t have any more new answers to offer us either.

“I’ve run out of words for him,” Nathan Gaucher said Saturday after Bedard tied Eric Lindros for the most points by a Junior Team Canada player at the tournament.

The 17-year-old picked up one, seven, six and four points respectively in his first four games of the competition, hitting the 31-point plateau in the 13th game of his WJC career. Lindros needed 21 presentations for that.

The former great striker also sent his compatriot a message on Twitter on Sunday: Don’t beat my record, crash it! Don’t worry Eric, it’s not bad what he’s doing.

Tweet from @88EricLindros: Happy New Year! Don’t just break the Connor Bedard record, beat it! Win the tournament. Go to Canada! #WorldJuniors

Some would argue that the North Vancouver native has collected most of his points against second-tier nations like Austria and Germany – although he would avoid saying he scored four goals against very strong team Sweden. We hear you as far away as Halifax.

But if it were that easy, where are Wright’s 18 points? Where are Dylan Günther’s 18 points? Two players who were still playing in the NHL a few weeks ago and are far from dominating that strongly. FYI Bedard has 10 points more on the clock after the preliminary round than the tournament’s second goalscorer, Logan Stankoven.

For the past week he has dazzled with his exceptional view of the game, skillful passing and lightning-fast wrist shots. Against Sweden, he also showed he wasn’t afraid to use his body, dishing out two solid checks that sent his opponents to their butts.

As if he wanted to prove that he really can do everything. We were still beginning to suspect it.

When this tournament ends, Bedard will most likely be the top scorer – he needs a goal to break that Jordan Eberle (14) – and Canada’s all-time leading scorer at the WJC. He will also be the one to put up one of the best performances in the competition’s recent history, leaving no doubt about his bright future.

He will be able to return to the Regina Pats, reassured and confident that he will be the first player to stand on the podium in Nashville.