Connor Bedard is 1st CHL Player Ever to Win Top Prospect, Scorer and POY Awards

Connor Bedard, billed as the NHL's next generational player, finished his Canadian Hockey League career with an accomplishment even Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby can't claim.

Bedard is the first player in CHL history to simultaneously win the league's Player of the Year, Top Draft Prospect, and Top Scorer awards, per the CHL.

The center racked up 143 points (71 goals, 72 assists) in 57 games for the WHL's Regina Pats last season. He is expected to be selected first by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2023 NHL draft on June 28.

Colby Barlow of the Owen Sound Attack and Ethan Gauthier from the Sherbrooke Phoenix were the runners-up to the Top Draft Prospect Award. Bedard has been the projected top selection in the upcoming draft since 2020, when he was granted the first exceptional status in WHL history to play in the league at 15 years old.

Bedard beat out Matthew Maggio of the Windsor Spitfires and Jordan Dumais of the Halifax Mooseheads for the Top Scorer award. He was the first WHL skater in 27 years to record more than 140 points in a regular season and led the league by 36 points.

Maggio and Dumais were also the runners-up for the David Branch Player of the Year Award, given to the top player among the 60 teams spanning the WHL, OHL, and QMJHL. Bedard's 71 goals led all CHL players.

The last player to claim three trophies in the CHL Awards was McDavid, who won the Player of the Year, Scholastic Player of the Year, and Top Prospect awards in 2015, according to the CBC.

"It's pretty exciting, for sure," Bedard said after the awards. "There's been a lot of cool names in the past that have won this award and for me, I think it's a team celebration as well... It's been a hell of a ride so far and hopefully, it continues."

The awards sweep adds more excitement for Blackhawks fans anticipating Bedard's arrival in Chicago. After the Hawks won the draft lottery last month, ESPN's Emily Kaplan reported that the team made $5.2 million in additional ticket revenue in less than a day.