Connor Bedard Tore Up The WHL Like Few Others In The Past 50 Years
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.
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.
Connor Bedard, as Seen by the Regina Pats' Photographer
Keith Hershmiller has photographed Connor Bedard's WHL career, from a 15-year-old standing out in a bubble to exploding a water bottle. There've been some emotional moments along the way.
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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This story was originally published April 23, 2026 at 11:31 AM.