THURSDAY COMMENTARY: BEDARD MANIA IS RUNNING WILD

(Listen daily for the Rod Pedersen Commentary on Cat Country 98 & Rock 98.5 FM)

Travelling back into the epicentre of Connor Bedard Mania has been … something.

And we are truly witnessing something before our eyes which has never been seen before.

I mean, and I’ve said it many times before, Saskatchewan is well-known across Canada for the Roughriders and being a football province. But in hockey circles, it’s at least as well known for producing hockey players.

Regina specifically has produced more NHL players per capita than any city in the world. As it is we’re #10 overall.

What I’m saying is, we love hockey at least as much as football.

And now with this 17-year old phenom named Connor Bedard, it’s off the charts.

By now you might’ve heard about the four- hour lineup to get Connor’s photo or autograph at the Brandt Centre Tuesday evening (thank God I got mine last year).

What you haven’t heard of is the people sneaking into the Pats hotel on the road hoping to get a glimpse of him, or the extra security needed when the Pats bus rolls up to a rink. He’s not old enough to vote yet but Connor Bedard’s already getting the Gretzky, Crosby or McDavid treatment.

A local restaurant told me they are hosting the Pats this week for a team event but I dare not say which one it is for fear hordes of “new” Pats fans will show up and ruin it.

For now, your best bet to see Bedard is to buy a ticket and watch him play, like this Saturday night when the Pats host the Warriors. I’ll be there so come up and say hi!

When I spoke to an executive with Viterra the other night at their own corporate event, he asked me if I still thought the Pats should’ve traded Bedard at the deadline this year.

The answer is yes. I know it’s tough to see now.

But talk to me in a year.

That’s today’s Rod Pedersen Commentary

(The Rod Pedersen Show airs daily at 12 pm ET on Game+ TV, YouTube Live and WQEE Radio)