BEDARD CLEANS UP AT CHL AWARDS
Photo: CHL
Kamloops, B.C. – The Canadian Hockey League announced Saturday their winners of the 2022-23 CHL Awards, with Regina Pats captain taking home CHL Player of the Year, CHL Top Draft Prospect and CHL Top Scorer.
“It goes back to the age thing. What he’s been able to do at a young age, starting back when he was 15,” Regina Pats GM and Head Coach John Paddock said. “Sam Steel was a tremendous player in our league but he wasn’t ready for that. Sam’s 16-year-old year was very good, but you have to look at the numbers Connor put up. He’s on a different level. Sam is an NHL player and Connor has the chance to be a star.”
Bedard, 17, becomes the first Regina Pats player to win the CHL Player of the Year Award since Jordan Eberle (2009-10) and just the fourth Pats player to win this award, joining Doug Wickenheiser (1979-80), Ed Staniowski (1974-75) and Eberle. He also becomes the first Pats player to win the CHL Top Scorer Award since Sam Steel (2016-17) as well as the first Pats player all-time to earn the CHL Top Draft Prospect.
The North Vancouver, B.C. product led the entire Canadian Hockey League in goals (71), points (143), shots on goal (360), points per-game (2.51), goals per-game (1.24), while finishing tied for second in game-winning-goals (11), as well as tied for fifth in assists (72). The 5-foot-10, 185 lb. centre produced the longest point-streak in the CHL in 2022-23, going 35 straight contests with at least a point, surpassing his previous high of 21 set last season. During the 35-game streak he scored 44 goals and 46 assists for 90 points.
Bedard’s 134 career goals across 134 games with the Pats ranks T-18th in team history, while his 271 points are 23rd and his 137 assists are T-36th.
“When you’re granted the status that he was granted, that signals something,” Paddock explained. “It means something special, but you have to go out and prove it and he clearly has. I don’t know what another 50 of 60 points would have done but I’m guessing he would have moved into the top-10 over his three years here.”
The Pats captain became the first WHL skater to record 140 or more points in a single regular season in 27 years. He tied Rob Brown (1985-86) for the highest points per-game by a 17-year-old in WHL history, as well as the third-most goals and points by any U18 player in league history.
Next up for Bedard is the NHL Scouting Combine which will take place June 4-10 at HarborCenter in Buffalo, New York. Then it’s the 2023 NHL Draft where Bedard looks to become just the third Regina Pats player all-time to be selected first overall on June 28 in Nashville, Tennessee.
(CHL, Regina Pats PR)
