Unsurprisingly, Connor Bedard was named the Western Junior Hockey League’s (WHL) Player of the Year on Wednesday.
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The Regina Pats representative has had a fantastic season that will likely culminate in her becoming the first player selected in the 2023 National League Draft.
In 57 regular season games, he had 71 goals and 72 assists for 143 points. The North Vancouver native also had ten goals and as many assists for 20 points in seven playoff games.
Bedard also won gold at the World Junior Hockey Championships with Canada, amassing 23 points in seven games.
“It’s an honor to win this trophy and I’m proud to play with so many incredible players in the WHL,” Bedard said in a league statement.
“I couldn’t have done it without my teammates, my coaches, the staff and the amazing Pats fans. I would like to sincerely thank my family for the sacrifices they have made to allow me to get to this point.”
Contenders vying for the honor against Bedard were forwards Logan Stankoven (Kamloops Blazers), Kai Uchacz (Red Deer Rebels) and Jackson Berezowski (Everett Silvertips).
Barring a big surprise, Bedard will join the Chicago Blackhawks on June 28th. Last Monday night, the Illinois organization won the lottery for the first pick of the auction, which will be held at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena.