Budding NHL star Connor Bedard is ranked 30th in the top 50 CHL players of the last 50 years. He dominated every year he played in the WHL and sold out buildings along the way.
You can't tell the story of the WHL without Connor Bedard.
The current Chicago Blackhawks center was virtually unstoppable over his three seasons with the Regina Pats, which saw him record 271 points in 134 regular-season games.
Announced as the 30th-ranked player on the CHL's "Top 50 Players of the Last 50 Years" list on Thursday, few players this century have impacted the CHL as Bedard did.
Before even stepping on the ice, Bedard made history by becoming the first WHLer ever to be granted exceptional status.
Overall, he was the seventh player in CHL history to be granted exceptional status, joining such names as John Tavares, Aaron Ekblad and Connor McDavid. This meant that Bedard would be allowed to play his entire 15-year-old season in the WHL, rather than have a games-played cap like every other player.
Bedard did not disappoint in his first season, as he was named the WHL's rookie of the year. He finished the shortened campaign by scoring 12 goals and 28 points in 15 games.
Once his rookie campaign was complete, Bedard dominated the 2021 World Men's Under-18 Championship, recording 14 points in seven games while capturing a gold medal.
Bedard followed up his successful rookie campaign by hitting the century mark for points in 2021-22. In 62 games, he scored 51 goals and finished fourth in league scoring with exactly 100 points. Bedard captained Canada at the U-18s while claiming gold at the 2022 world juniors in Edmonton.
The CHL announced Connor Bedard ranks 30th on the top 50 players of the past 50 years. (Courtesy CHL)But Bedard's final season went down as one of the most dominant in recent memory.
After recording 143 points in 57 games, he was named the CHL's player of the year, the CHL's top draft prospect and finished as the league's top scorer for the 2022-23 campaign.
He also recorded 20 points in seven playoff games, becoming the first WHL player in a decade to score at least 10 goals in a single post-season series.
Bedard also continued his winning ways on the international side during the 2022-23 season. He won gold at the 2023 world juniors and was named the tournament's most valuable player. At the end of the campaign, Bedard was named the first-ever IIHF male player of the year, as he had 23 points in seven games en route to his second world juniors gold medal.
While Bedard's point totals were impressive, so was his ability to draw fans to games across the league.
During the 2022-23 season, teams across the league sold out when Bedard and the Pats came to town. There was also plenty of media attention surrounding Bedard, especially when Regina did its tour of the B.C. Division.
The 2022-23 campaign would be Bedard's last in the WHL as he was selected first overall by the Blackhawks in the 2023 NHL draft. With the selection, he became the seventh WHLer since 1980 to be selected first overall. Other players on the exclusive list include Hall of Famer Mike Modano and Doug Wickenheiser, who also played for the Pats.
Today, Bedard is one of the NHL's brightest young stars.
He captured the Calder Trophy in 2024 and has recorded 203 points in 219 regular-season games.
While he is only 20 years old, Bedard has already developed into one of the best WHL alumni currently playing in the NHL.
The CHL's top 50 players of the past 50 years were identified through a media vote, then ranked according to a weighted combination of media and fan voting.
The CHL revealed the players ranked 30th to 21st on Thursday after previously revealing those ranked 50th to 41st and 40th to 31st.
Here are the players ranked 21st to 30th:
21. Patrick Kane (OHL, London Knights, 2006-07)
22. Carey Price (WHL, Tri-City Americans, 2002-07)
23. Doug Gilmour (OHL / QMJHL, Cornwall Royals, 1980-83)
24. Corey Perry (OHL, London Knights, 2001-05)
25. Marc-Andre Fleury (QMJHL, Cape Breton Screaming Eagles, 2000-04)
26. Luc Robitaille (QMJHL, Hull Olympiques, 1983-86)
27. Grant Fuhr (WHL, Victoria Cougars, 1979-81)
28. Mike Modano (WHL, Prince Albert Raiders, 1986-89)
29. Denis Savard (QMJHL, Montreal Juniors, 1977-80)
30. Connor Bedard (WHL, Regina Pats, 2020-23)
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