WHL Alumni Spotlight: Bedard and Eberle celebrate milestone nights
With over 100 graduates currently featured on NHL rosters, the Western Hockey League prides itself as one of the finest development leagues in the World.
By way of the WHL Alumni Spotlight, we aim to highlight notable achievements set by our alumni at the highest level of professional hockey on a week-to-week basis.
This is what our WHL Alumni were up to over the last week.
Jordan Eberle hits millennium mark with Kraken
On March 12, Jordan Eberle added to his ever-growing legacy when he became the latest WHL alumni to skate in 1,000 NHL games. Since starting his career-long tally with the Edmonton Oilers in October 2010, Eberle has recorded 695 career points (296 goals—399 assists) including six, 50-plus point seasons. Originally selected 22nd-overall by Edmonton at the 2008 NHL Draft, the product of Regina, Sask., spent time with the Oilers and the New York Islanders before being selected at the Seattle Kraken’s expansion draft in 2021.
Introducing the newest member of the 1,000-games played club, Jordan Eberle! 👏
Congratulations, Ebs! pic.twitter.com/UA0VR1qU61
— NHL (@NHL) March 13, 2024
Prior to making his NHL debut, Eberle toured the Western Canada and Pacific Northwest junior hockey scene for four seasons with his hometown club, the Regina Pats. The former seventh-round pick at the 2005 WHL Prospects Draft played in 254 WHL contests, collecting 310 points (155 goals—155 assists). Eberle graduated from the Western League as a recipient of the Daryl K. Seaman Trophy, as the 2007-08 WHL Scholastic Player of the Year, and a two-time, East Division First Team All-Star. At the conclusion of the 2009-10 season, Eberle was also named the CHL and WHL Player of the Year following his 106-point season (50 goals—56 assists).
Despite having suited up in 1,000 games, Eberle’s time in the NHL is far from over. On March 8, the 33-year-old signed a two-year contract extension to stay a member of the Kraken.
Blackhawks’ Bedard makes history with five-point night
As an 18-year-old rookie in the NHL, immediate success on the scoresheet isn’t something that is expected by most clubs. That is unless you’re Connor Bedard, of course. And, while the first-overall selection at the 2023 NHL Draft does have loftier goals than most, onlookers continue to sit in a state of shock when the product of North Vancouver, B.C. continues to rewrite the history books while blistering through his career highs at the NHL stage.
Bedard’s most recent jaw-dropping feat, you ask. A personal best, five-point outing (one goal—four assists), including his 20th goal of the season against the Anaheim Ducks on March 12. Marking just the fifth time in NHL history — and the first time in 15 years — that an 18-year-old recorded five points in a single game. This now puts the Blackhawks’ forward at 51 points (20 goals—31 assists) through 52 games this season — a stat line that is also enough to lead all NHL rookies in goals and points.
CONNOR BEDARD. FIVE POINTS.#NHLStats: https://t.co/m0mxO2HUH6 pic.twitter.com/6f6I58gH1b
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) March 13, 2024
Multi-point performances aren’t a rare occurrence for Bedard either. The recent accomplishment went down as the ninth time this season that Bedard has recorded two or more points in a single game. This was no different at the WHL level, as the 2022-23 CHL and WHL Player of the Year registered two games with six points, eight games with five points, and a total of 38 games with two or more points during his final regular season in the WHL.
A blast from Bedard! 🚀 pic.twitter.com/FweJpgK4Lf
— NHL (@NHL) March 13, 2024
At the conclusion of his three-season tenure with the Regina Pats, Bedard recorded 271 points (134 goals—137 assists) and a 2.02 points-per-game average through 134 regular season games.
Giants’ alumni Byram finding immediate success with new crew
Just eight days after being acquired from the Colorado Avalanche ahead of the NHL’s annual trade deadline, former Vancouver Giants defenceman Bowen Byram has already become a must-see star in the Buffalo Sabres’ lineup.
Byram’s rise to fame among the Sabres’ faithful first started in his debut with the club, as he scored his first goal only minutes into his tenure with Buffalo. Since then, the 22-year-old has stoked his recently-lit hot streak by recording four points (three goals—one assist) in his three games with the Sabres. And, with his most recent two-goal outing against the Detroit Red Wings on March 12, Byram has also set a franchise record as the only defenceman in Sabres history to record three or more goals in their first three games.
WELCOME TO BUFFALO, BOWEN BYRAM 🚨 pic.twitter.com/CAahAPbliV
— NHL (@NHL) March 8, 2024
Drafted fourth-overall by the Avalanche at the 2019 NHL Draft, Byram has suited up in 149 NHL games — recording 67 points (26 goals—41 assists) in that span. Although fresh into his NHL career, Byram’s name can already be found engraved on the Stanley Cup, as he hoisted the Championship-winning trophy with the Avalanche at the conclusion of the 2022 NHL Playoffs.
Prior to his time in the National League, Byram spent parts of four seasons in the WHL — all with the Vancouver Giants. In 188 regular season games with the Giants, the defenceman collected 150 points (46 goals—104 assists). In the 2018-19 season, Byram led all WHL defensemen in playoff points, with 26 (eight goals—18 assists), while helping the Giants reach the 2019 WHL Championship Series.
Your newest Sabres defenseman: Bowen Byram‼️#LetsGoBuffalo pic.twitter.com/7wy2gjQsQF
— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) March 6, 2024
WHL alumni Dewar and Edmundson find new home with Maple Leafs
In the aftermath of the NHL’s trade deadline on March 8, WHL alumni Connor Dewar and Joel Edmundson have found themselves a new home in Toronto, Ont. Both participants in deadline deals, the two newly-minted teammates were acquired by the Maple Leafs as the Eastern Conference club gets set to make another post-season push during the 2024 NHL Playoffs.
TRADE: We’ve acquired centre Connor Dewar from the Minnesota Wild
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) March 8, 2024
TRADE: We’ve acquired defenceman Joel Edmundson from the Washington Capitals
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) March 7, 2024
Dewar, a former third-round selection (92nd overall) by the Minnesota Wild at the 2018 NHL Draft, spent four seasons with the Everett Silvertips from 2015 to 2019. During his tenure in ‘Silvertip Country,’ Dewar appeared in 270 regular season games while collecting 197 points (99 goals—98 assists). Dewar also helped lead the Silvertips to the 2018 WHL Championship Series with his 26 points (12 goals—14 assists) in 22 post-season tilts.
Edmundson, on the other hand, has been featured at the NHL level for the last nine seasons. Since being selected in the second round of the 2011 NHL Draft by the St. Louis Blues, Edmundson has taken part in 522 NHL outings as a defenseman for the Blues, Carolina Hurricanes, Montreal Canadiens, Washington Capitals, and now, the Maple Leafs. Edmundson also hoisted the Stanley Cup as a member of the Blues’ 2019 Championship team. At the WHL, Edmundson spent parts of three seasons with the Moose Jaw Warriors and Kamloops Blazers — recording 68 points (15 goals—53 assists) in 190 games.
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