WHL Alumni Spotlight: Four next-gen stars turn heads with recent performances
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.
Bedard sticks to his scoring ways following return to the lineup
Connor Bedard has returned to the ice with the Chicago Blackhawks — and is back with a vengeance. After being absent from the last 14 games due to a broken jaw sustained in early January, the first-overall selection at the 2023 NHL Draft suited up with the Blackhawks on February 15. Since then, Bedard has been making up for his time out of the lineup, recording six points (two goals—four assists) in just three games. This recent boost of offensive output now puts his rookie-season point total up to 39 (17 goals—22 assists) in 42 games. Despite missing over a month of action, the North Vancouver, B.C., native leads the entire Blackhawks roster in points while also sitting first among all NHL rookies.
That's a three-point night for Connor Bedard! 👀
He now has six points in three games since his return! pic.twitter.com/xqHDebIJaR
— NHL (@NHL) February 20, 2024
Bedard, who graduated from the WHL at the conclusion of the 2022-23 season, played parts of three seasons with the Regina Pats. As the first WHL player to be granted exceptional status, Bedard collected 271 points (134 goals—137 assists) in 134 games and recorded back-to-back, 100-point seasons with the Pats.
Prior to his jump to the NHL level, Bedard was awarded the WHL’s Four Broncos Memorial Trophy as the League’s Player of the Year, the WHL’s Bobby Clarke Trophy for most points during the 2022-23 season, and was named the CHL’s Player of the Year.
134 WHL Games ➡️ 1st NHL Game.
Who's watching Connor tonight?! pic.twitter.com/1Pk8dRmrNm
— The WHL (@TheWHL) October 10, 2023
Rebels alumni Bains becomes third Punjabi WHL player to skate in NHL
As he whipped around the empty ice of Ball Arena ahead of his NHL debut on February 20, Arshdeep Bains understood he was breathing in rarified air. By making his first NHL appearance during the Vancouver Canucks’ road trip to Denver, Colo., Bains had become the third Punjabi WHL player to play in the NHL — following in the footsteps of his predecessors, B.C. Hockey Hall of Famer Robin Bawa (Kamloops Blazers) and current Iowa Wild forward Jujhar Khaira (Everett Silvertips).
#Canucks forward Arshdeep Bains gets the rookie treatment ahead of his #NHL debut tonight in Denver. pic.twitter.com/AuBIKsu64W
— Hockey Night Punjabi (@HkyNightPunjabi) February 21, 2024
From entering the WHL scene as an undrafted forward from Surrey, B.C., to suiting up in his first career NHL game with the Canucks, Bains’ path to the National League was one less travelled yet one filled with success.
After being passed on at the WHL Prospects Draft, Bains signed as a free agent with the Red Deer Rebels, playing five seasons with the Alberta-based club. In his 257 career games with the Rebels, Bains collected a total of 209 points (77 goals—132 assists).
Just weeks after signing a three-year, entry-level contract with the Canucks in March of 2022, a 20-year-old Bains finished first in WHL points, with 112 (43 goals—69 assists) in 68 games. The feat was enough to award Bains the Bobby Clarke Trophy and marked the first time in WHL history that a player with South Asian heritage led the League in points.
Rempe makes history in debut with Rangers
Rookie laps are the rite of passage and a highly-cherished moment for up-and-coming players looking to break onto the NHL scene. But for Seattle Thunderbirds’ alumnus Matt Rempe, his solo twirl ahead of his NHL debut was one that rewrote the history books. On February 18, Rempe became the first player in NHL history to make their debut in an outdoor game when the New York Rangers took on the New York Islanders at the 2024 Navy Federal Credit Union Stadium Series at MetLife Stadium. However, the outdoor game appearance wasn’t enough for the 6-foot-7, 241-pound forward. Rempe further cemented his debut by logging his first NHL fight — a spirited tilt with the Islanders’ Matt Martin — in his first shift of the game.
⚠️ Cool Hockey Story Alert ⚠️
Matt Rempe of the @NYRangers makes his NHL debut at #StadiumSeries! He's the first player in NHL history to debut in an outdoor game.
🇺🇸: @ESPNPlus or ABC ➡️ https://t.co/FmPv8M6v1l
🇨🇦: @Sportsnet or stream on Sportsnet+ ➡️ https://t.co/sEijvXhbA1 pic.twitter.com/m5XJRVMbI8— NHL (@NHL) February 18, 2024
Matt Rempe begins his NHL debut with a bang!
Rempe drops the gloves with Matt Martin!
(via: @espn) pic.twitter.com/5QnKODBCv6
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) February 18, 2024
A product of Calgary, Alta., Rempe went undrafted at the 2018 WHL Prospects Draft before signing a WHL Standard Player Agreement with the Thunderbirds in August 2018. Rempe played parts of three seasons with the Thunderbirds, where he accrued 59 points (30 goals—29 assists) in 111 career games. In 2022, Rempe was a finalist in the WHL Championship Series as a member of the Thunderbirds and recorded 12 points (eight goals—four assists) in 24 post-season appearances.
In October of 2020, Rempe was drafted in the sixth round, 165th overall by the Rangers at the NHL Draft.
Winterhawks alumni Ludvig cashes in first NHL goal
After making his NHL debut with the Pittsburgh Penguins on October 24, and recording his first point on November 28, the next milestone on John Ludvig’s vision board was his first career NHL goal. So, when the opportunity presented itself on February 14, the former Portland Winterhawks defenceman made sure to cash in on his chance — a low wrist shot from the face-off dot.
This goal will always be special for the Ludvig family 🐧
One NHL goal and counting for John Ludvig! pic.twitter.com/AEyi8XaMdz
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) February 15, 2024
The milestone achievement was a moment that couldn’t have written itself better for Ludvig, as the goal came against the Florida Panthers — the team that originally selected him in the third round, 69th overall at the 2019 NHL Draft.
Hailing from Kamloops, B.C., Ludvig also went undrafted at the WHL Prospects Draft and was eventually added to the Winterhawks protected list. Ludvig went on to patrol the Winterhawks’ blueline for three seasons, where he racked up 87 points (24 goals—63 assists) in 169 games. Ludvig also acted as the 44th captain in Winterhawks history during the 2019-20 season.
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