Connor Bedard Makes History, Winning Three 2023 CHL Awards

Projected No. 1 pick Connor Bedard was named the CHL player of the year, top draft prospect and top scorer on Saturday. Nobody else has done that before.

Connor Bedard won't be part of the Memorial Cup final on Sunday. On the ice, the Seattle Thunderbirds will face the Quebec Remparts for the championship.

But the Regina Pats center made history at Saturday's CHL Awards ceremony. A finalist in three categories, Bedard became the first player ever to take home the league's top scorer, top prospect and player of the year award in the same season.

Just like at the world juniors, Bedard was quick to put the focus on those who have supported his journey.

"It's a team celebration as well," he told the media. "There's always a lot of people that you're playing with, that are helping you. I think that's an exciting part about it."

He received the player of the year award from Jarome Iginla, a Hall of Famer who won two Memorial Cups and the WHL's player of the year awards, as well as being named a CHL first-team all-star during his storied junior career with the Kamloops Blazers.

"That's obviously a huge name and a legend (of) hockey," Bedard said. "For me to get to meet him today and have him present that award was pretty special, being a fan of his and growing up watching him."

Bedard is the first player to leave with three CHL awards since 2015 when Connor McDavid was named player of the year, top prospect and scholastic player of the year. 

As the top NHL prospect, likely to hear his name called first overall by the Chicago Blackhawks at the draft in Nashville on June 28, Bedard is also following in the footsteps of Patrick Kane, who was drafted first overall by the Blackhawks in 2007. In his lone OHL season with the London Knights in 2006-07, Kane took home the CHL's top scorer award — with 145 points in 58 games compared to Bedard's 143 points in 57 games. 

Kane was also named 2007's top prospect and rookie of the year.

Not surprisingly, Bedard demurred when asked if he'd started doing research on Chicago or the Blackhawks. 

"I think I've said it 100 times, that they haven't picked me yet," he said. "So I don't really focus on it just yet."

Bedard and the other award nominees were on hand at Sandman Centre on Saturday when the Seattle Thunderbirds punched their ticket to the Memorial Cup title with a 4-1 win over the Peterborough Petes. 

"I wanted to be playing, first and foremost," he said. "Coming in and watching a tournament you can be in, that's a hard part of it. But it was enjoyable to watch the game and just kind of be a fan."

Regina's only game against the Thunderbirds this season came right after the world juniors wrapped up, so Bedard did not suit up. But he skated with a number of Thunderbirds players as well as a couple from the Petes as teammates with Canada.

Asked for a prediction for Sunday's Memorial Cup title game, Bedard chuckled before saying he felt he had to pick the WHL team. 

"Those are two really good teams," he added. "So I'll be excited to watch."

The finalists for the CHL's 10 awards are compiled from the winners of the respective awards in the WHL, OHL and QMJHL.

For player of the year, Bedard edged out Jordan Dumais of the Halifax Mooseheads, who finished second in CHL scoring with 140 points, and Matt Maggio from the Windsor Spitfires, who topped the OHL with 111 points.

The other finalists for top prospect were Colby Barlow of the Owen Sound Attack, who did take home the scholastic player of the year award, and Ethan Gauthier from the Sherbrooke Phoenix.

One other WHL player also took home some hardware: Olen Zellweger of the Kamloops Blazers was named CHL defenseman of the year. The Anaheim Ducks prospect, chosen in the second round in 2021, edged out two other defenders who are also Ducks prospects, Pavel Mintyukov of the OHL's Ottawa 67's (10th overall in 2022) and Tristan Luneau from the Gatineau Olympiques, who was picked in the second round last year.

Barlow was one of four OHL representatives named an award winner, along with coach of the year Dave Cameron from the Ottawa 67's, sportsman player of the year Evan Vierling of the Barrie Colts, and humanitarian of the year Dalyn Wakely from the North Bay Battalion. 

Two QMJHL players took top honors: rookie of the year Maxim Masse from the Chicoutimi Sagueneens and top goaltender Nathan Darveau from the Victoriaville Tigres.