Bedard named Four Broncos recipient as WHL player of the year
Add another one to the pile of awards Connor Bedard has nabbed this season.
Bedard, the consensus No. 1 pick for the 2023 NHL Draft, has been awarded the Four Broncos Memorial Trophy as the WHL player of the year for the 2022-23 season.
“It is such an honour to win this award, and I am so proud to play in the WHL with all the amazing players, and the players that have won this award before me,” Bedard said in a release. “I would not have been able to do this without my teammates, coaches, training staff and of course, the amazing Regina Pats fans. I would like to give a huge thank you to my family for the sacrifices they have made in helping me get to this point.”
The Regina Pats captain led the WHL in goals (71) and points (143) in the 2022-23 regular season, and also finishing tied for the lead in assists (72) and game-winning goals (11). He played in 57 games.
He was held pointless in just five games this season.
Bedard’s goal total paced all members of the 2023 draft class, while his assist total tied Riley Heidt of the Prince George Cougars for tops among all first-year eligibles, and he is the first WHL player to surpass the 140-point plateau since three skaters — Mark Deyell, Frank Banham, and Hnat Domenichelli — all achieved the feat in 1995-96.
The North Vancouver, British Columbia product has 271 points (134 goals, 137 assists) in 134 career WHL games since being the first player ever granted exceptional status into the WHL.