History of Connor Bedard in Timeline

Connor Bedard is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre currently playing for the Chicago Blackhawks in the NHL. Widely regarded as one of the most exceptional hockey prospects in recent history, he was the first overall pick in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, selected by the Blackhawks. He began his NHL career in 2023 and won the Calder Memorial Trophy as rookie of the year in 2024.

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Full Timeline

1944: Youngest rookie since 1944 to record a four-point game

On November 9, Connor Bedard became the youngest rookie since 1944 to record a four-point game, after tallying two goals and two assists in a 5-3 win against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

1995: First 140-point season since 1995-96

In 2023, Connor Bedard achieved the milestone of being the first WHL player to have a 140-point season since the 1995-96 season.

2004: Comparison to Alexander Ovechkin's Draft Year

Ahead of the 2023 NHL entry draft, media drew comparisons of a career rivalry between Bedard and Michkov to Alexander Ovechkin's draft year in 2004.

July 17, 2005: Connor Bedard's Birth

On July 17, 2005, Connor Bedard was born. He would later become a professional ice hockey player.

2005: Comparison to Sidney Crosby's Draft Year

Ahead of the 2023 NHL entry draft, media drew comparisons of a career rivalry between Bedard and Michkov to Sidney Crosby's draft year in 2005.

2007: Patrick Kane's First Overall Selection

Connor Bedard's selection by the Chicago Blackhawks marked the team's second first overall selection in team history after Patrick Kane in 2007.

2011: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins' First Overall Selection

Connor Bedard became the second player born in British Columbia selected first overall after Ryan Nugent-Hopkins in 2011.

2016: First Blackhawks player since Artemi Panarin to receive Calder Memorial Trophy

In 2024, Connor Bedard was the recipient of the Calder Memorial Trophy as rookie of the year, becoming the first Blackhawks player since Artemi Panarin in 2016 to receive the award.

2018: Named "The Future of Hockey"

In 2018, Connor Bedard's emerging talent led to him being named "The Future of Hockey" in an article by The Hockey News, recognizing his early potential.

March 2020: Granted Exceptional Player Status

In March 2020, Hockey Canada granted Connor Bedard exceptional player status, allowing him to play in the major junior-level Canadian Hockey League a year early, marking a significant step in his junior career.

September 2020: Loan to HV71 Junior Hockey System

In September 2020, Connor Bedard was loaned to the HV71 junior hockey system in Sweden due to WHL delays, providing him an opportunity to play during the COVID-19 pandemic.

2020: Selection by Regina Pats and Exceptional Player Status

In 2020, Connor Bedard was selected first overall by the Regina Pats in the WHL Bantam Draft and was granted exceptional player status, making him the first WHL player with this status. He also won the Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy.

March 2021: Return to WHL and Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy

In March 2021, Connor Bedard returned to the WHL for the 2020-21 season and was later awarded the Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy as the WHL's rookie of the year after a shortened season where he scored 12 goals and 16 assists in 15 games.

May 2021: Gold Medal at IIHF World U18 Championships

In May 2021, Connor Bedard won a gold medal with the Canadian under-18 team at the 2021 IIHF World U18 Championships. He also tied for second in the tournament in points and earned a spot on the media all-star team.

December 12, 2021: Selection for World Junior Ice Hockey Championships

On December 12, 2021, Connor Bedard became the seventh 16-year-old to be selected by Canada for the World Junior Ice Hockey Championships.

2021: 50 goals during 2021-2022 WHL Season

During the 2021–22 WHL season, Connor Bedard became the youngest player to score 50 or more goals in a season.

2021: IIHF World U18 Championships

In 2021, Connor Bedard and Matvei Michkov made dueling appearances on their respective countries' national teams at the IIHF World U18 Championships.

2021: Championship with Canadian U-18 team

In 2021, Connor Bedard won a championship with the Canadian national under-18 team, marking an early international achievement.

April 18, 2022: Named to Canadian team for 2022 IIHF World U18 Championships

On April 18, 2022, Connor Bedard was selected for the Canadian team to participate in the 2022 IIHF World U18 Championships. He was the only returning player from the previous year's championship team.

August 2022: Rescheduled World Junior Championships

Following its cancellation in December, it was announced that the World Junior Championships would be rebooted in August 2022.

December 12, 2022: Named to Canadian national team for 2023 World Junior Championships

On December 12, 2022, Connor Bedard was selected to represent Canada at the 2023 World Junior Championships.

2022: Points Streak and Fan Interest

After starting the 2022-23 season without a point, Connor Bedard began a long points streak, becoming the league's top scorer. On November 17, he became the first WHL player in a decade to record twenty-game point streaks in consecutive seasons, and his games began attracting large crowds.

2022: Tanking for Bedard and Draft Lottery

Entering his draft year, debate centered on whether Connor Bedard was a "generational" talent. A number of NHL teams were considered to be "tanking" the 2022-23 season to improve their draft lottery odds to select him, leading to a parody song called "Bad for Bedard" and fan slogans. The Chicago Blackhawks ultimately won the lottery, increasing sales of season ticket packages by $2.5 million within hours of the announcement.

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2022: World Junior Championships Appearance

In 2022, Connor Bedard and Matvei Michkov had dueling appearances on their respective countries' national teams at the abortive initial edition of the World Junior Championships.

2022: Championship with Canadian Junior Team

In 2022, Connor Bedard won a championship with the Canadian national junior team, adding another international title to his accomplishments.

2022: Profiled in The New York Times

In 2022, while attending the NHL Entry Draft as an observer, Connor Bedard was profiled in The New York Times as "the most exciting future NHL player attending this week’s draft."

June 28, 2023: Drafted First Overall by Chicago Blackhawks

On June 28, 2023, the Chicago Blackhawks selected Connor Bedard first overall in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, marking a major milestone in his career.

2023: Increased Audience Draw

Following his return from the 2023 World Junior Championships, Connor Bedard became a significant audience draw. A January road trip through Alberta saw record attendance at multiple games, including a near-record WHL attendance of 17,223 at a game against the Calgary Hitmen in the Saddledome.

2023: Selected first overall by the Blackhawks in the NHL entry draft

In 2023, Connor Bedard was selected first overall by the Chicago Blackhawks in the NHL entry draft, marking a significant moment in his early career.

2023: Championship and MVP at World Junior Tournament

In 2023, Connor Bedard won another championship with the Canadian national junior team, setting points records and being named the tournament's MVP. He also received the IIHF Male Player of the Year award.

2023: WHL Playoffs and End of Junior Career

In 2023, the Regina Pats qualified for the WHL playoffs but were eliminated by the Saskatoon Blades in the first round. Connor Bedard had 10 goals and 10 assists in the series, marking what was expected to be the end of his WHL and junior career.

2023: NHL Draft Speculation

In advance of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, there was considerable speculation and debate about Connor Bedard and Matvei Michkov, discussing their merits. The draft was seen by some as a potential career rivalry comparable to Ovechkin and Crosby.

2023: Trade Deadline Stays with Regina Pats

Leading up to the 2023 WHL trade deadline, there was media speculation about trading Connor Bedard. However, Pats general manager John Paddock stated that Bedard would not be traded and wanted to finish his career in Regina.