C Connor Bedard - Regina Pats, WHL (2023 Draft)

[Artorius Horus T]

Did someone mention that he was the only e status 15 year old player in the WHL? - or do i remember wrong?

Well what about Brady Birnie*? he is born 7th of September, 2005 and he is playing for the Broncos.
- hasn't scored any points yet but, he is playing.

* scored 130 points in 30 games
+ another 10 points in 3 play-offs games
for the Regina Monarchs U15 AA

Edit : another 2005 born; Sam Oremba, but he is already 16
as is Kalan Lind

 

[snipes]

Did someone mention that he was the only e status 15 year old player in the WHL? - or do i remember wrong?

Well what about Brady Birnie? he is born 7th of September, 2005 and he is playing for the Broncos.
- hasn't scored any points yet but, he is playing.

The WHL has for a long time allowed 15 year olds to play but it’s a limited number of games that they’re allowed to play in (and it’s typically after the players midget season is done — so many of the players are 16 by the time they actually suit up in normal circumstances).

It’s a bit of a weird rule and the way they’ve done it. For instance, Kirby Dach played 19 games for the Saskatoon Blades in his 15-16 year old season. Savoie last year was allowed this kind of hybrid status where he could play some games with the ICE last year, but also had to play midget games as well with his U-18 team.

Bedard is the first true exceptional status for a 15 year old to play in the WHL without limitations. Meaning, he’s theoretically allowed to play every single game that the Regina Pats play in this year.

 

[albertGQ]

Is he supposed to be better than Shane Wright?

 

[Artorius Horus T]

The WHL has for a long time allowed 15 year olds to play but it’s a limited number of games that they’re allowed to play in (and it’s typically after the players midget season is done — so many of the players are 16 by the time they actually suit up in normal circumstances).

It’s a bit of a weird rule and the way they’ve done it. For instance, Kirby Dach played 19 games for the Saskatoon Blades in his 15-16 year old season. Savoie last year was allowed this kind of hybrid status where he could play some games with the ICE last year, but also had to play midget games as well with his U-18 team.

Bedard is the first true exceptional status for a 15 year old to play in the WHL without limitations. Meaning, he’s theoretically allowed to play every single game that the Regina Pats play in this year.

Thanks.

Its still, super confusing thou.. LOL

 

[Kranix]

What's the highest points per game season by a 15-16 year old in WHL, and CHL history?

 

[snipes]

Thanks.

Its still, super confusing thou.. LOL

I agree and I’m a Western Canadian who grew up around the WHL and am a big supporter of it.

It’s confusing to me at times myself how it all works.

The gist of it is, Bedard is the first 15 year old that can play all the games the Regina Pats play without any limitations. He’s treated as a full roster player.

 

[Ovechkin962]

What's the highest points per game season by a 15-16 year old in WHL, and CHL history?

Jacques Locas - Saint-Jérôme (QMJHL) in 1969-70 - 1.51 PPG (68 in 45)

Guy Chouinard - Québec (QMJHL) in 1971-72 - 1.21 PPG (70 in 58)

John Tavares - Oshawa (OHL) in 2005-06 - 1.18 PPG (77 in 65)

Rob Brown - Kamloops (WHL) in 1983-84 - 1.16 PPG (58 in 50)

Shane Wright - Kingston (OHL) in 2019-20 - 1.14 PPG (66 in 58)

Jason Spezza - Brampton (OHL) in 1998-99 - 1.06 PPG (71 in 67)

Connor McDavid - Erie (OHL) in 2012-13 - 1.05 PPG (66 in 63)

 

[JiricekSaveUs]

 

[Skinnyjimmy08]

This kid is outta control good. So damn dynamic it is ridiculous

In a way maybe a real shortened season/not much travel could be good for a real young kid like this. Short enough that maybe he wont go thru many ups and downs of the season so his confidence is sky high all year and he will be flying even more by the time he is in his 16 year old season.

Over the years ive seen a lot of young rookies flying but then go through waves during the year when the schedule and physicality of playing older guys take its toll on them and they start going through stretches of being just very average and struggling

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

This is remarkable, he is squashing all recent records to date. Hell, he is beating McDavid's pace from his 16 year old season. His team is garbage as well.

 

[Breakfast of Champs]

I think tavares had something like 9 or 10 goals thru his first 9 games at 15 fwiw, but yea Bedards pace for ppg is well above the others, extremely impressive

 

[Kranix]

Jacques Locas - Saint-Jérôme (QMJHL) in 1969-70 - 1.51 PPG (68 in 45)

Guy Chouinard - Québec (QMJHL) in 1971-72 - 1.21 PPG (70 in 58)

John Tavares - Oshawa (OHL) in 2005-06 - 1.18 PPG (77 in 65)

Rob Brown - Kamloops (WHL) in 1983-84 - 1.16 PPG (58 in 50)

Shane Wright - Kingston (OHL) in 2019-20 - 1.14 PPG (66 in 58)

Jason Spezza - Brampton (OHL) in 1998-99 - 1.06 PPG (71 in 67)

Connor McDavid - Erie (OHL) in 2012-13 - 1.05 PPG (66 in 63)

Damn, Locas destroyed junior but never played an NHL game. They thought he was too small I guess. Sad.

 

[Kranix]

Is he done growing?

 

[Fatass]

Damn, Locas destroyed junior but never played an NHL game. They thought he was too small I guess. Sad.

I think Locas was an early developed guy. Kind of a man already at 15. That’s what’s so amazing about Bedard; he’s still a chubby cheeked boy. How much better is Bedard going to become as he grows into a man?

 

[Fatass]

Is he done growing?

Looks like Bedard has A LOT of maturing to do.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

Is he done growing?

I grew from 5'6 to 6'1 as a 15 and 16 year old. His uncle grew to 6'0. It wouldn't surprise me if he grew to 6'1.

 

[Kranix]

I grew from 5'6 to 6'1 as a 15 and 16 year old. His uncle grew to 6'0. It wouldn't surprise me if he grew to 6'1.

Crikey. He'd be scary at 6'1"

 

[landy92mack29]

It

I agree and I’m a Western Canadian who grew up around the WHL and am a big supporter of it.

It’s confusing to me at times myself how it all works.

The gist of it is, Bedard is the first 15 year old that can play all the games the Regina Pats play without any limitations. He’s treated as a full roster player.

It's not overly confusing for me but I'm kinda involved in it lol. All players after they're drafted can play up to 5 games while their midget team is still playing. Once their midget year is over they can play as many games as the whl team has left and the playoffs like Cozens did. The one confusing part is injury exemption which is kind of skirting the rules. That's what Saskatoon and Winnipeg did for Dach and Savoie. Claimed they had too many injuries and had to call up a 15 yr old. This year it doesn't matter because every midget league isn't playing

 

[crosbyshow]

Jeez!!!

So far Bedard has the same total of points than....Peyton Krebs...

Krebs just turned 20 years old , a month ago and he was a key player of Team Canada at the last world juniors...

Bedard could have the most impressive junior career since Sidney Crosby.

Sid was named the best junior player in Canada at 16 ..and 17 years old.

Bedard is so impressive so far!!

 

[Eternal Leaf]

He just keeps getting better and better with each game.

Fits right in with all of the other generational 15-year-old prospects we've seen over the years.

 

[JurassicTunga]

Flames better get this guy to combat the other Connor in Alberta. Now that would be a BoA.

 

[Eternal Leaf]

Is he supposed to be better than Shane Wright?

Definitely a tier above Shane Wright.

Even though, Wright himself is a franchise-caliber prospect.

 

[Starry Knight]

Definitely a tier above Shane Wright.

Even though, Wright himself is a franchise-caliber prospect.

Agreed. Shane Wright had a 15-year-old season that rivalled McDavid's. 39 goals in 58 games as a 15-year-old puts him comfortably on the Eichel/Matthews/Tavares tier of prospects.

If Bedard keeps his pace all season, it's McDavid/Crosby tier for him. The 2023 draft is going to have a top-2 equivalent to 2004 with Bedard and Michkov.

 

[Breakfast of Champs]

Definitely a tier above Shane Wright.

Even though, Wright himself is a franchise-caliber prospect.

I'm not so sure about that, its possible he is better, but I don't think any prospect currently is a tier above Shane Wright. He's a beast in all 3 zones, can do it all, and his skills seem as translatable to the pros as almost anyone..

Not comparing styles, but John Tavares was a much more successful Jr player than Stamkos, but its been a different story in the NHL. I have no doubt Bedard has the ability to put up better numbers in jr, but that doesn't always mean a better player overall.

Again, Bedard might be better than Wright, but to go as far as to say definitely a tier above is too far, Wright could easily become one of the best players in the world and nobody would be shocked at all, he's that good too.

 

[Fatass]

Agreed. Shane Wright had a 15-year-old season that rivalled McDavid's. 39 goals in 58 games as a 15-year-old puts him comfortably on the Eichel/Matthews/Tavares tier of prospects.

If Bedard keeps his pace all season, it's McDavid/Crosby tier for him. The 2023 draft is going to have a top-2 equivalent to 2004 with Bedard and Michkov.

All true, but at 15 some guys are still young boys, while others have already become young men. So it’s really hard to compare the 15 year old seasons without remembering which of these guys matured younger. Bedard is still a very young looking boy. Didn’t Tavares have a full beard at 15?