WHL Alumni Spotlight: WHL Alumni find scoring touches to start 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs
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.
Pats alumnus Bedard completes historic rookie season with Blackhawks
The race for the NHL’s Calder Memorial Trophy seems to be all locked up – and it has been for quite some time.
After spending the 2023-24 NHL Regular Season atop all rookie players in goals (22), assists (39), points (61), and points-per-game (0.90), Chicago Blackhawks forward and Regina Pats alumnus Connor Bedard is the clear front-runner for the National League’s Rookie of the Year award. Bedard’s bid for the top rookie accolade is further reinforced following a season that also saw the first-year talent lead his Windy City teammates in the core categories of goals, assists, and points. Sitting at 61 points through 68 games, Bedard posted seven more points than the second-place finisher – Philipp Kurashev, who recorded 54 points in 75 games this season.
⚠️ CONNOR BEDARD MICHIGAN GOAL‼️ THIS IS NOT A DRILL. ⚠️ pic.twitter.com/KPWcsVGzo0
— NHL (@NHL) December 24, 2023
Not only was Bedard’s debut season with the Blackhawks impressive, but it was also historic. The WHL graduate became the third skater in NHL history to lead his club in points at the end of the regular season as an 18-year-old. Bedard falls behind Steve Yzerman and Sidney Crosby as the only other players to accomplish the team-leading feat and is the first to do it in over 15 years. Following his 68-point season, the generational talent found himself sitting in 11th place on the NHL’s all-time list for most points in a single season by a player aged 18 or younger.
Connor Bedard concluded his first NHL season as the leader in points among rookies and also slotted himself alongside impressive company as an 18-year-old as well as a No. 1 overall pick. #NHLStats: https://t.co/NyP3x3QgGH pic.twitter.com/X5k4EJgpFS
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) April 19, 2024
For Bedard, breaking and setting records was commonplace during his tenure at the junior level too. As the first player in WHL history to be granted exceptional status, Bedard broke into the WHL on a full-time basis at 15 years old and recorded his first two goals of his career during his debut on March 12, 2021. Two seasons later, the product of North Vancouver, B.C. became the first player in over 20 years to record 70-plus goals as a 17-year-old (Pavel Brendl, 1998-99 season). Recording 271 points (134 goals–137 assists) in 134 appearances with the Pats, Bedard graduated the WHL as the League’s Rookie of the Year (Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy) in 2021 and Player of the Year (Four Broncos Memorial Trophy) in 2023.
Bedard was the first overall selection by the Chicago Blackhawks at the 2023 NHL Draft.
Rangers’ Rempe nets first postseason goal during Stanley Cup Playoffs debut
Nobody is better suited for playoff hockey than New York’s Matt Rempe. Through 17 regular season games with the Rangers, and over 100 at the WHL level, the six-foot-seven bruiser has shown a clear flair for on-ice physicality. Pairing his heavy-hitting attitude with the high-octane, rough-and-tumble pace of play found during the post-season, Rempe proved to be a valuable piece to the Rangers’ playoff roster in just his first ever Stanley Cup Playoffs appearance.
https://publish.twitter.com/?url=https://twitter.com/BarDown/status/1782144749392052567#
Having logged a fistful of hits in the opening frame of Game 1 between the Rangers and the visiting Washington Capitals, Rempe was looking for another outlet to add his name to. And, while another hit would have sufficed, the 21-year-old went the extra mile by opening the scoring for the Rangers with his first career goal at the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Clearly admired inside Madison Square Garden, Rempe’s series-opening tally sent the stadium into a frenzy.
“[The] crowd was absolutely bumping and it was electric. Unreal. Love it,” said an energized and beaming Rempe to ESPN’s Emily Kaplan during the first intermission.
His milestone marker was also the first time a Rangers player scored in their debut playoff appearance since the 2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs (Matt Gilroy, 2011 Conference Quarterfinals). Since making the leap to the National League in April, Rempe has quickly evolved into a fan-favourite among the Rangers’ faithful. During his 17 regular season games, Rempe has recorded one goal and one assist while racking up 71 penalty minutes.
Matt Rempe scored the first of three quick New York goals and became the first @NYRangers player to score in his first career playoff game since Matt Gilroy in Game 1 of the 2011 Conference Quarterfinals, also vs. WSH.
📺: ESPN, SN, TVAS#NHLStats: https://t.co/c724eC62rK pic.twitter.com/V9eXcOBgWW
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) April 21, 2024
During his three-season stint in the WHL, Rempe made a home with the U.S. Division, Seattle Thunderbirds. Suiting up in 111 regular season games, the product of Calgary, Alta. collected a total of 59 points (30 goals–29 assists) and 158 penalty minutes. The forward also reached the Championship Series with the Thunderbirds during the 2022 WHL Playoffs.
Rempe was selected in the sixth round (165th overall) by New York at the 2020 NHL Draft.
Wheat Kings’ Mark Stone finds twine in first game back from injury
For Mark Stone, it was a moment that couldn’t have been written better. Suiting up in his first game since suffering a lacerated spleen in late February, the Golden Knights’ captain was a last-minute addition to the team’s lineup prior to Game 1 against the Dallas Stars. So, of course, it was only fitting for Vegas’ game-time decision to tip home the icebreaking goal less than two minutes into the opening period.
HE'S BACK! 👀
Mark Stone scores in his return to the lineup to give the Golden Knights the early lead! pic.twitter.com/ViFeb0i7qi
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 23, 2024
A crucial tally for the visiting Golden Knights, the opening marker was even more monumental for Stone. In February, the 31-year-old was unsure if he’d even be suiting up during the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
“The first couple weeks were real tough,” Stone said in an article featured on NHL.com.
“You can’t really do anything physical. You’re kind of just sitting around waiting for it to heal. Then it gets even harder because you actually start to feel better relatively quickly, but you look at the scans, and you’re nowhere close to healthy.”
And, if the Golden Knights are to claim their second Stanley Cup in back-to-back seasons, expect Stone at the forefront. Stone recorded nine points (five goals–four assists) during the 2023 Stanley Cup Final, including a hat-trick in Vegas’ Cup-clinching, Game 5 win against the Florida Panthers.
Prior to his long-term shelving, the product of Winnipeg, Man. was on pace for a career year. Through 56 regular season starts, Stone recorded 16 goals, 37 assists and was on pace for a 77-point season through a full 82-game rotation.
Stone was a force to be reckoned with at the WHL level too. A member of the Brandon Wheat Kings for four seasons, Stone recorded 296 points (106 goals–190 assists) in 232 regular season appearances. Along with his 1.28 points-per-game average spanning four seasons long, the WHL graduate also recorded back-to-back, 100-plus point seasons (106 points in 2010-11, 123 points in 2011-12) before taking his talents to the National League.
Stone was drafted in the sixth round (178th overall) by the Ottawa Senators at the 2021 NHL Draft.
NHL Bracket Buzz
DALLAS STARS VS VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS
Kootenay ICE alumni Brayden McNabb recorded one goal in Vegas’ Game 1 win over Dallas. The goal would go down as the game-winning tally. McNabb spent parts of five seasons with the ICE.
WINNIPEG JETS VS COLORADO AVALANCHE
Four WHL alumni – Adam Lowry (Swift Current Broncos), Nino Niederrieter (Portland Winterhawks), Brenden Dillon (Seattle Thunderbirds), and Josh Morrissey (Prince Albert Raiders/Kelowna Rockets) – each collected two points in Winnipeg’s Game 1 win over Colorado.
EDMONTON OILERS VS LOS ANGELES KINGS
Prince Albert Raiders and Kelowna Rockets alumnus Leon Draisaitl recorded two points (one goal–one assist) in Edmonton’s Game 1 win over Los Angeles. Draisaitl’s tally, an extreme short-side snipe, went down as the game-winner for the Oilers.
TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS VS BOSTON BRUINS
Boston’s Jake DeBrusk has recorded five points (three goals–two assists) in the opening three games of the first round between the Bruins and Maple Leafs. DeBrusk – an alumni of the Swift Current Broncos and Red Deer Rebels – led the Bruins in points in Game 1, with three (two goals–one assist).
CAROLINA HURRICANES VS NEW YORK ISLANDERS
A game-changing factor in Carolina’s comeback triumph over the Islanders in Game 2, Seth Jarvis boasted a three-point outing (one goal–two assists) on Monday night. Jarvis spent four seasons with the Winterhawks, collecting 166 regular season points (73 goals–93 assists).
Still thinking about this shot, btw 🎯 pic.twitter.com/KuKzLpDyqM
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) April 23, 2024