Connor Bedard Biography

Connor Thomas Bedard, born on July 17, 2005, is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who has played as a centre and serves as an alternate captain for the Chicago Blackhawks in the National Hockey League. Selected first overall in the 2023 NHL entry draft, Bedard was recognized as one of the top prospects of his generation and made his NHL debut in the same year. In 2024, Bedard was awarded the Calder Memorial Trophy as the league's rookie of the year following a standout debut season with the Chicago Blackhawks. He was chosen first overall in the 2020 WHL Bantam Draft by the Regina Pats and earned the Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy as the league's top rookie player during his initial season. Competing internationally for Canada, Bedard won gold with the national under-18 team in 2021 and later secured gold with the national junior team in both 2022 and 2023. Bedard was honored as the inaugural recipient of the IIHF Male Player of the Year award, recognizing his excellence on the global stage. By 2018, Bedard had already emerged as a standout prospect, being named 'The Future of Hockey' by The Hockey News in a feature highlighting his early potential.