Canadiens Prospect Pickford Named Tempo WHL Player Of The Month For December
Calgary, Alta. – The Western Hockey League announced today Montreal Canadiens prospect and Medicine Hat Tigers defenceman Bryce Pickford has been named Tempo WHL Player of the Month for December.
Pickford, a 19-year-old product of Chauvin, Alta., recorded 22 points (14G-8A) and a plus-15 rating in nine games during the month of the December, helping the defending WHL Champion Tigers go 9-0-0-0, extending a 13-game win streak and a point streak of 17 games (15-0-1-1).
Selected by the Canadiens in the third round (81st overall) of the 2025 NHL Draft, the 6-foot-1, 186-pound Pickford was a goal-scoring machine during December, including a stretch that saw him register five consecutive game-winning goals from December 3-13.
Aside from his game-winning goal streak, Pickford marched through December scoring in every game, until his eight-game run was snapped on December 30 in an 8-0 win at Red Deer. Despite not finding the back of the net, Pickford did collect an assist, extending his active point-scoring streak to 11 games (November 28 to present). Pickford’s eight-game goal-scoring streak is tied for the longest in the WHL this season with Red Deer Rebels forward Samuel Drancak, who scored goals in eight consecutive games from October 29 through November 21.
From December 3-13, Pickford recorded five consecutive multi-goal games. On Wednesday, December 3, he struck twice in a 7-1 win over the Prince Albert Raiders, including the game-winning goal. Friday, December 5, featured another two-goal effort from Pickford, including the overtime winning goal in a 4-3 triumph over the Moose Jaw Warriors. On Saturday, December 6, Pickford registered the first hat trick of his WHL career, scoring three times, including the game-winning goal, in a 5-1 win over the Wenatchee Wild. The following weekend, Pickford once again put together back-to-back two-goal games, including the game-deciding markers both nights, as the Tigers clipped the Warriors 6-5 in overtime before thrashing the Swift Current Broncos by a 10-2 margin.
Aside from his goal-scoring run, Pickford recorded multi-point performances in seven of nine games during the month of December, including two three-point games and two four-point games.
With 50 points (27G-23A) through 34 games, Pickford leads all WHL defencemen in scoring and is tied for fourth in the WHL scoring race, trailing Kamloops Blazers forward JP Hurlbert (60 points), Vancouver Giants forward Cameron Schmidt (55 points), and Kamloops Blazers forward Nathan Behm (51 points). Pickford’s 27 goals lead the entire WHL – ahead of the likes of Brandon Wheat Kings forward Joby Baumuller (26 goals), Hurlbert (25 goals), Schmidt (25 goals), and Kamloops Blazers forward Tommy Lafreniere (25 goals).
Pickford’s five game-winning goals during the month of December improves his season total to seven – good enough to lead the WHL. His plus-38 rating is second in the WHL, trailing teammate Jonas Woo.
Pickford was named Tempo WHL Player of the Week on December 8, 2025, after registering eight points, including seven goals, over a three-game stretch to start the month (December 1-7).
The fourth-year WHL defenceman was rewarded for his outstanding campaign when he signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Montreal Canadiens on Christmas Eve.
Over the course of the entire season, Pickford has recorded seven multi-goal games and 14 multi-point performances. Pickford’s active point streak of 11 games is the third longest active streak in the WHL, trailing Schmidt (18 games) and Tigers teammate Markus Ruck (13 games). The longest point streak in the WHL this season was recorded by Portland Winterhawks forward Ryan Miller, who tallied 27 points in 20 games from October 13 through December 5.
A two-time WHL Champion (2023 – Seattle Thunderbirds, 2025 – Medicine Hat Tigers), Pickford was acquired by the Tigers in exchange for a package of draft picks during the 2024 WHL Prospects Draft. In 82 career regular season games with the Tigers, the right-shot blueliner has tallied 97 points (47G-50A). Originally selected by the Seattle Thunderbirds in the second round (38th overall) of the 2021 WHL Prospects Draft, Pickford has collected 132 points (55G-77A) in 203 career WHL regular season games.
Heading into the first weekend of 2026, Pickford and the Tigers are 25-6-3-2, sitting atop the WHL’s Eastern Conference.
Next up, Pickford and the Tigers host the Moose Jaw Warriors (14-17-3-1) Friday, January 2 (7 p.m. MT), at Co-op Place in Medicine Hat.
Tempo WHL Player of the Month
September / October: JP Hurlbert, Kamloops Blazers
November: Tij Iginla, Kelowna Rockets
About the Western Hockey League
Regarded as the world’s finest development league for junior hockey players, the Western Hockey League (WHL) head office is based in Calgary, Alberta. The WHL consists of 23 member Clubs with 17 located in Western Canada and six in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. A member of the Canadian Hockey League, the WHL has been a leading supplier of talent for the National Hockey League for over 50 years. The WHL is also the leading provider of hockey scholarships with over 375 graduates each year receiving WHL Scholarships to pursue a post-secondary education of their choice. Each season, WHL players also form the nucleus of Canada’s National Junior Hockey Team.
