The next generation of hockey superstars has emerged as three 14-year-old players have applied for exceptional status to the WHL. According to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet.ca, WHL top prospect Connor Bedard alongside Brayden Yager and Riley Heidt have applied for exceptional status. All three players are eligible for the WHL, however, the league has never before granted exceptional status to a player.
Last year, Matthew Savoie applied for CHL exceptional status and was ultimately denied. There are multiple reports claiming that the reason for his denial was due to his unwillingness to play for whatever team drafted him at the 2019 WHL Bantam Draft. Savoie was drafted first overall by the Winnipeg ICE and while he was not granted exceptional status which would have allowed him to play a full year in the WHL as an underager, the league made an exception, allowing him to play more than the initial U5 game limit for a player in their midget level season.
Connor Bedard is a top prospect for the upcoming WHL Bantam Draft and is widely projected to be the first overall pick at the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. Bedard, like Savoie, is dominating the CSSHL as the second-youngest player in the entire league. His 52 points throughout 23 games is tied for the league lead in points. His 25 goals are currently the highest amount by any player in the CSSHL.
Riley Heidt and Brayden Yager are both playing in the SMHL and are teammates for the Saskatoon Contacts. Heidt is the leagues second-youngest player while Yager is not far behind as the fifth-youngest player in the league. Despite being underage, Yager and Heidt have been dominant against players up to three-years older.
Heidt has recorded 28 points in 30 games for the Contacts this season while Yager has recorded 30 points in 30 games played. Both players have been stars in the league and are clearly high-end talents that can play at a level significantly above their age group. If granted exceptional status, Heidt and Yager would each get to take their game to the next level next season to the WHL. While they may still take some time playing at the Jr. A level, they would likely spend the most part of the season in the Western Hockey League.
Bedard, Heidt and Yager are all eligible for the 2023 NHL Entry Draft and are top prospects in their class. Before they begin to think about the NHL Draft, their minds will be on the upcoming WHL Bantam Draft which they are all top prospects for. In contrast to the WHL and QMJHL, the OHL has granted five players exceptional status.
Aaron Ekblad, Sean Day, Connor McDavid, John Tavares and Shane Wright have all come into the league with the title of exceptional status. While the WHL has yet to grant a prospect as exceptional, that soon may not be the case. Connor Bedard has been rumoured to be grated exceptional status if he applied for quite some time now. Riley Heidt and Brayden Yager both also make very convincing cases to join the league in their midget seasons.