The 2023 NHL draft starts Wednesday in Nashville (Round 1, 7 p.m. ET on ESPN and ESPN+) and stories about Connor Bedard have dominated the coverage.
Rightfully so! The 17-year-old's 143 points with the Regina Pats is the highest single total in 27 years. This from a player that was granted exceptional status to enter the Canadian Hockey League at age 15, making him the first such designated player in WHL history and the seventh player overall to gain such status. It's worth noting that three of the previous six such skaters have been selected first overall in the NHL Draft.