Connor Bedard made Canadian Hockey League history on Saturday (June 3).
The presumed No. 1 pick of this year鈥檚 NHL entry draft won the CHL Top Prospect, Top Scorer, and David Branch Player of the Year awards. It鈥檚 the first time since the Top Scorer award was introduced in 1994 that a player has won all three in a single season.
The 17-year-old was also the first to claim three trophies at the CHL Awards since Edmonton Oilers star 鈥� then with the Erie Otters 鈥� Connor McDavid won the Player of the Year, Top Prospect and Scholastic Player of the Year awards in 2015.
鈥淚t鈥檚 pretty exciting, for sure,鈥� the North Vancouver, B.C. native said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 been a lot of cool names in the past that have won this award (player of the year) and for me, I think it鈥檚 a team celebration as well.
鈥淭here鈥檚 always a lot of people that you鈥檙e playing with that are helping you and I think that鈥檚 an exciting part about it.鈥�
Bedard 鈥� set to turn 18 years old on July 17 鈥� had 143 points (71 goals, 72 assists) in 57 regular-season games starring for the Regina Pats of the Western Hockey League.
He had another 10 goals and 10 assists in seven games in the Pats鈥� first-round post-season loss to the Saskatoon Blades. He became the first WHL player since 2012 to score 10 or more goals in a single playoff series.
Former Calgary Flames and Canadian men鈥檚 national team star Jarome Iginla presented Bedard with the Player of the Year award.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 obviously a huge name, a legend in hockey,鈥� Bedard said. 鈥淔or me to get to meet him today and to have him present that award was pretty special, just being a fan of his and growing up watching him 鈥� it鈥檚 awesome.鈥�
Bedard, who has also earned a number of accolades starring for the Canadian world junior team, including two gold medals, is now preparing for the NHL draft which takes place June 28-29 in Nashville, Tenn.
鈥淚鈥檓 still young and have a lot I wanna do in my hockey career,鈥� he said when asked of his journey. 鈥淏ut like I said, I鈥檝e just been pretty fortunate to be able to play in some of these tournaments and leagues and experience these things that I鈥檝e gotten to experience.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been a hell of a ride so far and hopefully it continues.鈥�
Olen Zellweger of the Kamloops Blazers took home the CHL Defenceman of the Year award.
Nominated alongside Pavel Mintyukov of the Ottawa 67鈥檚 and Tristan Luneau of the Gatineau Olympiques, it was the first time an NHL team had three of its prospects up for the honour. Each player was drafted by the Anaheim Ducks between 2021 and 2022.
鈥淚 know them pretty well so far from training camp and development camp,鈥� Zellweger said. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e great people, as well as players. It鈥檚 exciting to have other players there in that competition when we go to camp.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 a huge honour,鈥� Zellweger added. 鈥淎 lot of work goes into it 鈥� it鈥檚 just a step in the right direction for the future.鈥�
Nathan Darveau of the Victoriaville Tigres claimed the Goaltender of the Year award, Dave Cameron of the Ottawa 67鈥檚 won the Brian Kilrea Coach of the Year award and Maxim Mass茅 of the Chicoutimi Saguen茅ens earned Rookie of the Year honours.
Evan Vierling of the Barrie Colts grabbed Sportsman Player of the Year, Colby Barlow of the Owen Sound Attack earned Scholastic Player of the Year and Dalyn Wakely of the North Bay Battalion was named Humanitarian of the Year.
The nominees were determined by the winner of the corresponding award presented in each member league: the WHL, Ontario Hockey League, and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.
Abdulhamid Ibrahim, The Canadian Press
