The Chicago Blackhawks' Connor Bedard and the San Jose Sharks' Macklin Celebrini were both among 40 other NHLers to be invited to the Canadian Olympic training camp, and with a couple of spots on the roster potentially up for grabs come February, only one of the two former first overall picks may have the liberty of representing their country on the Olympic stage.
Both Bedard and Celebrini were not given the opportunity to play for Canada back in February of this year during the 4 Nations Face-Off, but Celebrini did play in the World Championships for Canada as a part of a team which included the likes of Sidney Crosby and Marc Andre-Fleury, an offer Bedard declined.
It probably would have been ideal for Bedard to join up with Celebrini on the World Championship team as a stepping stone to the Olympic team, but chose to opt out due to focus on offseason training. Although this wont give Celebrini a head start in the race for a spot on the Olympic roster, international men's team experience is something Celebrini can definitely bring to Milan, and something Bedard hasn't even touched on yet.
In terms of their play styles, it is easy to say Bedard is the better playmaker and shooter, but it is also easy to say Celebrini's two-way game is miles better compared to Bedard, and with Jon Cooper at the helm for team Canada, two-way ability is everything.
Across his two years in the NHL, Bedard has highlighted time and time again that his release is soon to be one of the more lethal in the league, and with more improvement on the horizon, his offensive game is only going to get better. Even though Bedard would bring scoring and playmaking to Team Canada, Celebrini also has those abilities, maybe not as strong, but also bring defensive IQ, and a responsibility Bedard has yet to demonstrate.
If one thing is used to split the two for Team Canada, it will be Celebrini's two-way game and defensive competence, and Bedard's lack of defensive zone presence isn't something Cooper and his team will be looking for. Sure Bedard would bring goals, and is a dangerous weapon for the team, but beating out Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, and Sidney Crosby for a centerman spot is no easy feat, especially for him. Looking at the training camp roster for Team Canada, there is no real clear opening for Bedard on the team -- only as a scratch at most -- but for Celebrini, there is much more scope for him.
Realistically for Celebrini, the competition for a roster spot is beatable, and isn't the toughest task in the world for him next season. Battling against Anthony Cirelli, Travis Konecny, and Mark Stone, his youth, and upside could be enough to replace one of the three. Despite having the ability to be a 30-goal scorer and a 80 to 90 point player, he isn't exactly looking for a role as a sharpshooter at the Olympics, and will probably be recognised for what he can do as a third or fourth liner.
Forechecking, dump and chase, fast breaks -- these are all terms Celebrini may have to come to terms with to make the roster, and given he has a solid start to the season, and his two-way game improves all the way up to December time, his spot on the roster would be well in contention.
It is no secret that both these insane talents will be shoo-in's in five years time, and will both give so much to Team Canada in the future, but as of now, Bedard's elite offensive game just won't be enough to earn a spot on the team. Say he scores 25 to 30 goals by December, maybe he has a chance, but no matter how Celebrini plays, he will always have the advantage in this one. The two-way advantage, the defensive knowledge, and maturity through all three zones is more than enough to be considered for a spot, and in this instance, his case is way more convincing with Milan just around the corner.