(Kamloops) Connor Bedard made Canadian Hockey League history on Saturday.
Whoever is expected to be selected first overall in the upcoming NHL Draft has won the CHL Top Prospect, Top Scorer and Most Valuable Player awards. It’s the first time since the addition of the top scorer award in 1994 that a player has won all three honors in the same season.
Bedard — who will celebrate his 18th birthday on July 17 — had 71 goals and 72 assists in 57 regular season games with the Regina Pats.
Olen Zellweger of the Kamloops Blazers was preferred to Tristan Luneau of the Gatineau Olympiques and Pavel Mintyukov of the Ottawa 67’s for the title of defenseman par excellence. It was the first time that three prospects from the same NHL team had been nominated for this title. Zellweger, Luneau and Mintyukov were drafted by the Anaheim Ducks.
Nathan Darveau, of the Victoriaville Tigres, was named goaltender par excellence, while Dave Cameron, of the 67’s, received the Brian Kilrea award, given to the coach of the year. Maxim Massé, of the Chicoutimi Saguenéens, was named rookie par excellence.
Evan Vierling of the Barrie Colts was honored for his sportsmanship, Colby Barlow of the Owen Sound Attack received the Outstanding Student Player Award, and Dalyn Wakely of the North Bay Battalion was recognized as Humanitarian of the Year.
The finalists were the winners for the same awards in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, the OHL and the Western Hockey League.