Top of the lottery prospects: Connor Bedard continues to be the best of a loaded draft class
Bedard is on pace to put up the highest point total in the WHL since 1990. In the six games since we last checked in on Connor Bedard, he’s continued racking up points at an astonishing rate — scoring 6 goals and tallying 12 assists — while adding yet another five-point game to his WHL resume (his seventh in 45 games).
He leads the WHL in scoring by a wide margin and is tops in the triple crown of offensive categories: his 54 goals are 10 higher than his nearest competition, his 60 assists are one ahead of fellow highly-touted prospect Zach Benson (though Benson has played 10 more games since Bedard missed time to join Team Canada in the World Juniors), and his 114 overall points are 21 ahead of Benson.
The Regina Pats have 12 games left and, while there’s zero chance he’ll be able to eclipse the all-time WHL record for points in a season (the 80s were a wild time), his current mark of 2.53 points-per-game is the highest number that league has seen in 23 years.
Scott Wheeler just dropped his updated March draft rankings and, to absolutely no one’s surprise, Bedard continues to sit firmly at the top.
The March edition of my #2023NHLDraft rankings at @TheAthletic:1. Connor Bedard2. Adam Fantilli3. Matvei Michkov4-64 (plus 32 honourable mentions, player tiers, full scouting reports and more): https://t.co/1yyzNAZtf9— Scott Wheeler (@scottcwheeler) March 1, 2023
Bedard has elevated his play as the season marches on, showing no signs whatsoever that any of the hype is getting to him. He is the exact player you want to anchor your franchise to, especially if you just traded your last franchise player.
With not a whole lot to look forward to these next few months as a Chicago Blackhawks fan, we can point all our hope toward the draft on June 28 and dream about seeing this release at the United Center next season (although, you know, not on a different team).
Connor Bedard… short handed ( : @TheWHL) pic.twitter.com/xZSECgM5Zm— BarDown (@BarDown) February 19, 2023
Connor Bedard’s 50th in 40 games pic.twitter.com/ANkyIlmEt4— World Hockey Report (@worldhockeyrpt) February 18, 2023
Connor Bedard with 2+2 tonight. It’s the 10th time this season he’s registered 4 or more points in a single game. He’s up to an even 50 goals and 50 assists in 40 games on the season - 22 points ahead of 2nd place in WHL scoring— /Cam Robinson/ (@Hockey_Robinson) February 18, 2023
Connor Bedard in his 50 games this season between the WHL and World Juniors has•61 goals•73 assists•325 shots on goal— Dimitri Filipovic (@DimFilipovic) February 23, 2023
Oh look, Connor Bedard has *another* 5-point game going. His 7th of the season. He’s up to 52 goals and 110 points…. in 43 games.— /Cam Robinson/ (@Hockey_Robinson) February 23, 2023
Connor Bedard has 20 points over the last 5 games.— /Cam Robinson/ (@Hockey_Robinson) February 23, 2023
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