REPORT | Top 2023 draft prospect Connor Bedard refused a trade to a contender
During Monday's edition of the '32 Thoughts' podcast with Sportsnet's Jeff Marek and Elliotte Friedman, the two discussed top 2023 NHL Draft prospect Connor Bedard and shared an interesting tidbit about the phenom.
Marek and Friedman mentioned that ahead of the Western Hockey League's trade deadline back in January, Connor Bedard refused to be dealt from the Regina Pats to the Kamloops Blazers, who are hosting the 2023 Memorial Cup.
It's not often you see a player in junior hockey refuse a trade, but when you're someone like Connor Bedard, you certainly have a bit more say than the average player.
At the time of the Western Hockey League's trade deadline, it was unclear if the Regina Pats would even make the playoffs, as they were flirting with the eighth and ninth position in the Eastern Conference. But Bedard turned it up a notch down the stretch and led the Pats to the sixth seed and currently have a 2-0 series lead over the Saskatoon Blades, with an opportunity to take a stranglehold tonight.
The North Vancouver native took the hockey world by storm this year, recording 23 points in seven games at the 2023 World Juniors and finished the WHL regular season with 143 points in 57 games.
Friedman and Marek on 32TP says Connor Bedard didn't want to go to the Kamloops Blazers in a potential WHL trade.� NHL Watcher (@NHL_Watcher) April 3, 2023
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Who do you think will land Connor Bedard at the 2023 draft? | ||
| Chicago | 78 | 27.6 % |
| Columbus | 69 | 24.4 % |
| Anaheim | 39 | 13.8 % |
| See Results | 97 | 34.3 % |
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