As the most highly-touted prospect since Connor McDavid, and 2023 first-overall pick Connor Bedard certainly doesn’t need any extra attention…

But he’s getting it anyway. And it is all thanks to his mom, Melanie Bedard.

As the 17-year-old phenom was being selected by the Chicago Blackhawks with the top pick of the draft last night, fans couldn’t help but notice the blonde woman sitting next to Connor. And it didn’t take them long to identify her as Vancouver native’s mother.

Fans immediately took to Twitter to profess their love for Melanie Bedard.

Bedard is expected to help the Chicago Blackhawks turn things around and become relevant again after missing the playoffs in three straight seasons.

The highly-skilled center has 143 points in just 57 games last season for the Regina Pats of the WHL. He really made his mark on the world hockey scene over the Christmas holidays, when he scored nine goals and 23 points in seven games while leading Team Canada to gold in the World Junior U-20 Hockey Championships.

He was the consensus choice to go first overall in last night’s draft, which is exactly where he went. After Bedard, the Anaheim Ducks took Swedish center Leo Carlsson. This year’s Hobby Baker Award winner from the Michigan Wolverines, Canadian center Adam Fantilli, went third overall to the Columbus Blue Jackets.