With the 81st overall pick of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, the Montreal Canadiens selected defenseman Bryce Pickford. This is a decision that the Canadiens must be happy with, as the 19-year-old defenseman is continuing to improve. During this past season with the Medicine Hat Tigers, Pickford recorded 20 goals and 47 points in 48 games. He also had 13 goals and 24 points in 18 playoff games for Medicine Hat in 2025. Yet, as excellently as Pickford played this past season, he has hit an even higher level this campaign with the Western Hockey League (WHL) club. In fact, he has now made some franchise history with Medicine Hat because of it. With his goal against the Edmonton Oil Kings, Pickford now has 33 goals this season. With this, Pickford has also now scored the most goals by a defenseman in a season during the WHL internet era, which started during the 1996-97 campaign. This is not the only history that Pickford made with his 33rd goal of the season, as he also set the record for the most goals scored in a season by a Medicine Hat Tigers defenseman in franchise history. These are two outstanding accomplishments by Pickford and show just how impressive a talent he is. In 40 games this season with Medicine Hat, he has recorded 33 goals, 28 assists, and 61 points.
