Regina Pats’ phenom Connor Bedard has become the first Canadian Hockey League player in history to capture the CHL Top Prospect, Top Player and Top Scorer trophies. He previously won the WHL’s Four Broncos Trophy as the Player of the Year and the Bobby Clarke Trophy as the WHL’s leading scorer.
The bonafide No. 1 overall pick at the 2023 NHL Draft notched an astonishing 71 goals and 72 assists for 143 points in 51 regular season games. Bedard added an additional ten goals and ten assists for 20 points in seven playoff games with the Pats.
Hall of Famer Jarome Iginla presented the David Branch CHL Player of the Year award. Bedard spoke at the CHL Awards media scrum about how much it meant to win the awards.
“it’s pretty exciting. A lot of cool names in the past have won this award,” said the Pats captain. “You know it’s a team celebration; there are a lot of people you play with that are helping you, and I think that’s the exciting part about it.” Bedard also credits his trainers and equipment manager for helping him get to this point in his career and working with him over the last three seasons in Regina.
With the Chicago Blackhawks holding the first overall selection at the draft, Bedard was asked how he has been preparing for festivities in Nashville coming up this month, “I’m just taking it day by day,” said Bedard. “I’m still training, and that’s just been my big thing, focusing on what’s important and bettering myself on and off the ice."
The 17-year-old captured Gold at the World Juniors with Team Canada, scoring a mind-boggling nine goals and 14 assists for 23 points in seven games; he also dramatically scored the overtime winner over Slovakia to send Canada to the Semi-Finals. Bedard set a record for most points by a Canadian player at the World Juniors and his 14 assists set a single-tournament Canada record.
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