The Green Zone: Riders' Jeremy O'Day preparing for 2025
9h ago
O'Day discusses Trevor Harris and changes to be made to get the Riders back to the Grey Cup.
He’s 15 years old and Connor Bedard is the story of the WHL hub city for the East Division.
Everyone who talks about what is happening in Regina over the next few weeks is curious about the same player. Bedard made history as the first player to be granted exceptional status in the Western Hockey League.
So what should be the expectations be? Other exceptional status players from the OHL and Quebec league tell the tale.
John Tavares, Connor McDavid and Aaron Ekblad were the first overall picks in the NHL. Joe Veleno was a first-round pick. Shane Wright, who had 66 points in 58 games last year in his 15-year old season, looks to be well on the way to following in the footsteps of high NHL picks.
Only one, Sean Day, didn’t turn his exceptional status into a dominant force. He was a third-round pick and hasn’t played a game in the NHL.
So 60 per cent of exceptional status players were drafted first overall in the NHL. So yes, Connor Bedard deserves the attention. All the scouts say he’s the real deal. And history shows us we’re in for a heck of a show over the next three seasons.