He is Patrick Kane, but a center, with a better shot. He brings excitement on every shift. Canada, in theory, has more than enough forward depth to play him in the top six.

If they don’t take Bedard, Canada’s brass (which includes assistant general manager Don Sweeney) would be rewarding past playoff performance, and betting that 20-year-olds like him can’t handle either side of the hellacious checking we’re about to see in Milan.

It would be risk-averse. It would be boring. And it might be wrong, given the strides Bedard has made defensively. He’s not a burner, but he backchecks hard, and he’s stronger than he was as a rookie.

If there’s less space than usual on the Milan ice sheet, would Bedard be bottled up? Or would he help break things open?

Macklin Celebrini, meanwhile, is right there with Bedard in the scoring race and plays a more complete defensive game. He’s also a year younger. Canada might not have the appetite to take one, much less both.

In 2006, Canada left home an 18-year-old Sidney Crosby and finished seventh. Putting Bedard with Crosby and Nathan MacKinnon would rectify that karmically, but also would make for one heck of a line. I’d rather bet on Bedard (or Celebrini, for that matter) than this cycle’s Kris Draper.

The projected lineup:

Forwards

Mark Stone | Connor McDavid | Brayden Point

Sidney Crosby | Nathan MacKinnon | Connor Bedard

Brandon Hagel | Anthony Cirelli | Mitch Marner

Tom Wilson | Nick Suzuki | Sam Reinhart

X — Mark Scheifele, Brad Marchand

A frighteningly formidable group. That top six! That third line!

Others considered here include John Tavares, who has had a good season and is an elite faceoff man, and Bo Horvat.

Montreal fans might think Suzuki is too low in the lineup. (Don’t ask them about Lane Hutson’s chances of making Team USA.)

Marchand, who missed out on the 2018 and 2022 Games, has proven himself an elite glue guy (and as of Tuesday, only MacKinnon had more five-on-five goals this season than Marchand’s 13). He gets the call over the younger Travis Konecny and Seth Jarvis.

Connor McDavid — center, with, from left, Devon Toews, Cale Makar, and Mitch Marner — are hoping for a similar victorious result as the one they earned in the 4 Nations Face-Off.Matthew J. Lee/Globe Staff

Defensemen

Devon Toews | Cale Makar

Josh Morrissey | Jakob Chychrun

Shea Theodore | Travis Sanheim

X — Matthew Schaefer, Colton Parayko

Makar is the best blue liner on the planet. The rest are pretty good, too.

Thomas Harley was an injury replacement for Theodore at the 4 Nations Face-Off but has been shaky for Dallas. Perfect time for Schaefer, the youngest player in the NHL — he turned 18 in September — to show what he’s made of. Noah Dobson is there if they want someone more experienced.

Jordan Binnington has been Canada’s leading netminder since the 2024 world championship.Dave Wurtzel

Goaltenders

Jordan Binnington

Scott Wedgewood

Mackenzie Blackwood

He was blown out at TD Garden recently, but Binnington’s work in more important games gives him the starter’s net until further notice.

As for 4 Nations backups, Adin Hill has been hurt and Sam Montembeault is struggling. The Avalanche’s Wedgewood and Blackwood trade one juggernaut for another.

Logan Thompson might be the best available netminder, but reports of a rift with two of his former coaches — Canada assistants Peter DeBoer and Bruce Cassidy, who had him in Vegas — could be the reason he stays home.

Matt Porter can be reached at matthew.porter@globe.com. Follow him @mattyports.