Connor Bedard

Connor Bedard (born July 17, 2005) is a Canadian junior ice hockey centre for the Regina Pats of the Western Hockey League (WHL).[1] Bedard was selected by the Regina Pats first overall in the WHL Bantam Draft in 2020 as the first ever WHL player of exceptional status.[2] Bedard will be eligible for the 2023 NHL Entry Draft.[1]

Connor Bedard
Born (2005-07-17) July 17, 2005
North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Height 5 ft 9 in (175 cm)
Weight 179 lb (81 kg; 12 st 11 lb)
Position Centre
Shoots Right
WHL team Regina Pats
NHL Draft Eligible, 2023
Playing career TBD–present

Playing career

In 2018, Bedard emerged as a young hockey prospect, being named "the future of hockey" in an article by The Hockey News.[3] Bedard played minor hockey with West Vancouver Academy Prep of the Canadian Sport School Hockey League.[1] While playing with this school's U15 and U18 teams, Bedard led the league in goals and points and was named Most Valuable Player both years.[1]

In March 2020, Bedard was granted exceptional status by Hockey Canada,[4][5] and in the WHL Bantam Draft in 2020, Bedard was selected first overall by the Regina Pats as the first ever Western Hockey League (WHL) player of exceptional status.[6][7][8] In September 2020, Bedard was loaned to the HV71 junior hockey system, where he played until the WHL returned to play for its 2020–21 season beginning in March 2021.[9][10]

As a rookie in the WHL, Bedard scored 12 goals and 16 assists for 28 points in just 15 games before leaving for the 2021 IIHF World U18 Championships.

On June 1, 2021, Bedard was named the Western Hockey League's East Division rookie of the year. On June 9, 2021, he was awarded the Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy as the WHL best first year player.[11][12]

International play

In April and May 2021, Bedard played for the Canada men's national under-18 ice hockey team in the 2021 IIHF World U18 Championships in Frisco, Texas, winning a gold medal, tying for second in the tournament in points and earning a spot on the media all-star team.

On December 12, 2021, Bedard became the seventh 16-year-old to be selected by Team Canada for the 2022 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships.[13]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs
Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2018–19 West Van Academy Prep CSSHL U15 3064248822 45272
2019–20 West Van Academy Prep CSSHL U18 3643418432 11120
2020–21 HV71 J18 J18 Region 11120 ―――――
2020–21 HV71 J20 J20 National 42240 ―――――
2020–21 Regina Pats WHL 151216286 ―――――
WHL totals 151216286 ―――――

International
Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM
2021 Canada U18 777142
Junior totals 777142

Awards and honours
Honours Year
CSSHL U15 Most Valuable Player 2019 [1]
CSSHL U18 Most Valuable Player 2020 [1]
WHL Exceptional Player Status 2020 [2]
WHL Rookie of the Year 2021 [11]

References
  1. "Connor Bedard at eliteprospects.com". Elite Prospects. Retrieved November 28, 2020.
  2. Bell, Josh (March 25, 2020). "Connor Bedard Granted First-Ever WHL Exceptional Status". The Hockey Writers. Retrieved November 28, 2020.
  3. Campbell, Ken (November 16, 2018). "Meet the future of hockey, 13-year-old Connor Bedard". The Hockey News on Sports Illustrated. Retrieved November 28, 2020.
  4. "14-year-old Bedard granted exceptional player status for WHL". National Hockey League. March 26, 2020. Retrieved May 4, 2021.
  5. "BC Hockey announces exceptional player status for Connor Bedard". Western Hockey League. March 24, 2020. Retrieved November 28, 2020.
  6. Cosentino, Sam (April 27, 2020). "What makes Connor Bedard such an exceptional player". Sportsnet. Retrieved May 4, 2021.
  7. "NEWS: Pats Sign 2020 First Overall Pick Connor Bedard". Regina Pats (Press release). April 21, 2020. Retrieved November 28, 2020.
  8. "2020 Bantam Draft". Retrieved November 28, 2020.
  9. Bodin, Uffe (September 14, 2020). "Kanadensiske supertalangen i Sverige - tränar med HV71". Hockey Sverige (in Swedish). Retrieved November 28, 2020.
  10. Olausson, Robin (September 15, 2020). ""Man vill bli jämförd med sådana killar - det är ganska coolt"". Hockey Sverige (in Swedish). Retrieved November 28, 2020.
  11. "Pats forward Bedard wins Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy as 2020-21 WHL Rookie of the Year". WHL.ca. June 9, 2021. Retrieved December 13, 2021.
  12. Aykroyd, Lucas (May 7, 2021). "Michkov named MVP". International Ice Hockey Federation. Retrieved May 9, 2021.
  13. Spencer, Donna (December 12, 2021). "Connor Bedard named to Canadian junior men's hockey team at 16". CTV News. Retrieved December 13, 2021.
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