Connor Bedard will benefit from Canada's Olympic Orientation Camp

As the calendar turns to August, we are now one day closer to Chicago Blackhawks hockey. Next month, teams will report to training camp and preseason hockey will return to the United Center—but first, several NHL players will have the opportunity to suit up for their country.

On Friday, Hockey Canada announced the 92 players the country had invited for their men's, women's and para hockey teams' upcoming orientation camp set to be held in Calgary later this month.

According to Hockey Canada, the men's roster includes 42 NHL players, including three goalies, 13 defensemen, and 26 forwards, including one Chicago Blackhawks star.

Connor Bedard will benefit from Hockey Canada Olympic experience.

Connor Bedard was the lone Blackhawk invited to Canada's orientation camp set to be held in Calgary from Aug. 26 to 28.

The roster also includes stars like Nathan MacKinnon, Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid and Cale Makar, to name a few. Bedard is set to be the second youngest NHLer on the roster behind only Macklin Celebrini.

Blackhawks fans should be excited about this opportunity for Bedard. Last season was a bit of a disappointment for the second-year forward after he failed to make Canada's roster at the 4 Nations Face-Off. Now, Bedard has the opportunity to start his season getting his feet wet with the national squad.

This season, a large goal for Bedard, and the Blackhawks in general, should be getting the 20-year-old to the Olympics. Visiting a team orientation just before starting training camp will be the perfect opportunity to set the tempo for Bedard's season.

Bedard is no stranger to the national stage. Just before getting drafted, Bedard shined at the World Juniors, registering nine goals and 23 points in 7 games en route to Canada taking home the gold.

Bedard has played in two NHL seasons with the Blackhawks and has yet to compete in a high-level competitive environment against other pros.

Since joining the Hawks, the Blackhawks have not been competitive enough to give Bedard the real "playoff" type atmosphere he needs to experience. The Olympics would give him that experience.

In February, after watching the 4 Nations, Bedard spoke about watching the tournament from home and his excitement for the Olympics.

"Right now, I was just watching as a fan," Bedard said via NHL.com, "but if you ask anyone in the league, they would want to be on the teams playing for their country."

This season will see a number of young stars in the making jump to the NHL, but almost more importantly, it will be about watching Connor Bedard chase a spot on the Olympic roster. It all starts later this month with Canada's Olympic orientation camp.