B.C. product taken first overall in WHL bantam draft

The Western Hockey League completed the first round of the 2020 WHL Bantam Draft Wednesday morning online.

After retaining the first-overall pick from the Bantam Draft lottery, the Regina Pats used the pick to select forward Connor Bedard.

The 14-year-old from North Vancouver, is the first player to ever be awarded exceptional player status for the WHL, meaning he can enter the league as a 15-year-old next season.

Bedard, a five-foot-eight inch centre, played for West Vancouver Academy Midget Prep this past season.

Bedard led the Canadian Sports School Hockey League with 84 points (43 goals, 41 assists) in 36 games. He turns 15 on July 17.

“I have zero doubts that he will have success,” Steve Marr, Bedard’s coach, told Sportsnet. “Yes, he’s 5-foot-8, 165 pounds, but he’s a pretty thick 165 pounds. As far as how he’ll handle the bigger bodies at that level, he’s got a pretty good base on his center of gravity. He doesn’t get knocked around easily. He’s very strong in his core, his legs and his stability, and he’s strong on his edges. From that aspect, he won’t have issues. There’s no doubt in my mind that he’ll have a lot of success next year as a 15-year-old.”

Kelowna Rockets had the 8th overall pick and selected Andrew Cristall, a forward from Vancouver with St. George’s School Bantam Prep.

With the fifth pick, the Saskatoon Blades took defenceman Tanner Molendyk from Kamloops from the Yale Hockey Academy Prep.

Of the 22 players selected in round one, there were 13 forwards and nine defencemen. Of those, nine came from British Columbia, seven from Saskatchewan and six from Alberta.

Players eligible for the draft were 2005-born players.

Click HERE for a complete list of all players selected.