Participants announced for the NHLPA/Upper Deck Rookie Showcase

Connor Bedard will kick off his NHL career amongst peers.

Bedard is one of 35 prospects set to participate in the 13th annual National Hockey League Players’ Association Rookie Showcase on September 5 at MedStar Capitals Iceplex in Arlington, Virginia.

The event, co-hosted by Upper Deck, is a showcase of hockey’s brightest young talent.

Bedard, the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, will make the jump to the Chicago Blackhawks this fall after a storied junior career with the Regina Pats of the Western Hockey League. He had 71 goals and 143 points in just 57 games for Regina last season, only missing time in the WHL lineup to play at 2023 World Junior Championship, where he had a historic tournament for Canada in amassed nine goals and 23 points in seven games for gold.

The North Vancouver, British Columbia product ended the regular season with only five games where he didn’t register a point, and was named the Player of the Year in both the WHL and Canadian Hockey League and took home the inaugural IIHF’s Male Player of the Year award.

Bedard will be joined at the showcase by potential teammate Kevin Korchinski, one set of 10 duos set to participate.

Only the Montreal Canadiens — with Owen Beck, Sean Farrell, and Filip Mesar — and the Columbus Blue Jackets — with Adam Fantilli, Denton Mateychuk, and Stanislav Svozil — have three prospects participating in the showcase.

Here are the players participating in the 2023 NHLPA Rookie Showcase: