Bedard & Svozil Named WHL Eastern Division First Team All-Stars
Calgary, Alta. – The Western Hockey League announced Tuesday that Regina Pats forward Connor Bedard and defenceman Stanislav Svozil have been named to the WHL’s Eastern Division first all-star team for the 2022-23 season.
WHL Division All-Stars are voted upon by WHL General Managers.
Bedard, 17, led the WHL in goals (71) and points (143), and was tied for the lead in assists (72). He also led the way in shots on goal (360), points per-game (2.51), goals per-game (1.24), and finished tied for first in game-winning-goals with 11. All this while playing in just 57 games.
Bedard led the Pats in plus/minus (+39), face-off win percentage (53.6) and power play points (45). The North Vancouver, B.C. product also tied for the longest point-streak in the WHL this season, going 35 straight contests with at least a point, surpassing his previous high of 21 set last season. During the 35-game streak he scored 44 goals and 46 assists for 90 points.
The 5-foot-10, 185 lb. forward tied Rob Brown (1985-86) for the highest points per-game by a 17-year-old in WHL history, and also had the third-most goals and points by any U18 player in league history.
Svozil, 20, finished the season top-3 in the WHL amongst defencemen in numerous categories. He ranked first in power play assists (36), second in assists (67), second in points per-game (1.39), and third in points (78), all while playing in just 56 games.
The Prerov, Czechia product finished the year with 24 multi-point games, including four four-point efforts. Svozil’s 78 points were the 10th-highest single season point total by a Pats defenceman in franchise history.
His 67 assists are tied for the fifth-highest all-time and his 1.39 points-per-game rank 4th all-time in Pats history. Svozil joins Connor Hobbs (2016-17) as the only two Pats defencemen in the last 25 years to reach 70+ points.
FULL LIST OF SECOND AND FIRST TEAM EASTERN DIVISION ALL-STARS
WHL East Division Second All-Star Team
(G) Elliott, Austin – Saskatoon Blades
(D) De La Gorgendiere, Aidan – Saskatoon Blades
(D) Kosior, Landon – Prince Albert Raiders
(F) Danielson, Nate – Brandon Wheat Kings
(F) Savoie, Matthew – Winnipeg ICE
(F) Wong, Trevor – Saskatoon Blades
WHL East Division First All-Star Team
(G) Hauser, Daniel – Winnipeg ICE
(D) Svozil, Stanislav – Regina Pats
(D) Zloty, Benjamin – Winnipeg ICE
(F) Benson, Zach – Winnipeg ICE
(F) Bedard, Connor – Regina Pats
(F) McClennon, Connor – Winnipeg ICE
