{"id":71879,"date":"2020-03-25T12:50:00","date_gmt":"2020-03-25T16:50:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonhockey.com\/?p=71879"},"modified":"2020-03-25T13:21:52","modified_gmt":"2020-03-25T17:21:52","slug":"connor-bedard-is-granted-exceptional-status","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/2020\/03\/25\/connor-bedard-is-granted-exceptional-status\/","title":{"rendered":"Connor Bedard is Granted Exceptional Status"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Western Hockey League granted 14-year-old Connor Bedard<\/strong><\/a> exceptional status to play in the WHL next season. Bedard is the first exceptional status player in WHL history.<\/p>\n

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NEWS | BC Hockey is proud to announce that North Vancouver’s Connor Bedard is the first player to gain exceptional player status for eligibility in @TheWHL<\/a>!<\/p>\n

Congratulations on this amazing achievement! @CSSHL<\/a> @HockeyCanada<\/a><\/p>\n

\u27a1\ufe0f? https:\/\/t.co\/rPT4ORVDG6<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/BQO67vGTpv<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 BC Hockey (@BCHockey_Source) March 25, 2020<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Bedard Granted Exceptional Status<\/h2>\n

Connor Bedard is a 5′-8″, 165 pound forward from North Vancouver, British Columbia. He has had tremendous success playing for West Van Academy Prep in the midget level. That level is a level normally for players who are over 15-years-old. However, the age difference didn’t hold him back. Bedard scored 43 goals, added 41 assists for 84 points in 36 games to lead the Canadian Sport School Hockey League<\/a> in scoring.<\/p>\n

“BC Hockey would like to congratulate Connor on being announced as the first player from Western Canada to be granted exceptional status in the CHL and WHL,” said BC Hockey Chief Executive Officer Barry Petrachenko in a statement.<\/a> “Throughout the evaluation process, Connor has displayed the tremendous potential he has both mentally and physically to be able to be granted exceptional status.”<\/p>\n

The Hockey News writer, Ryan Kennedy, saw Bedard play two years ago. He was watching a camp in Toronto where Bedard played with many players older than him. This is what Kennedy wrote<\/a> about Bedard.<\/p>\n

“Bedard was playing against older talents such as Quinton Byfield<\/strong><\/a>, Cole Perfett<\/strong><\/a>i, and Johnny Beecher<\/strong><\/a>, yet he was incredibly dangerous the whole game. His shot release was practically NHL-caliber already and again, this was\u00a0two<\/i> summers ago.”<\/p>\n

Here is a highlight pack of Bedard.<\/p>\n