‘Bedard Bump’ sending hockey phenom’s stats — and WHL ticket sales — through the roof

There have been solely 3,279 followers in attendance when Connor Bedard and the Regina Pats visited the Calgary Saddledome on October 2, 2022.

4 months later, the ‘Bedard Bump’ despatched ticket demand skyrocketing.

Because the Hitmen and Pats warmed up Wednesday evening, the decrease portion of the glass was practically blocked off by a wall of development paper indicators and hopeful faces looking forward to a wave or, in a single fortunate child’s case — an autograph.

A complete of 17,223 followers crammed the Saddledome’s decrease bowl and packed into the best corners of the East press stage in hopes of catching a glimpse at #98 – the presumed first general decide on the 2023 NHL draft.

The truth is, the 17-year-old hockey phenom says it is the largest crowd he is ever performed in entrance of.

“You are feeling it, you hear it and, you already know, I believe it brings further vitality,” stated the participant from North Vancouver.

“Clearly you are on the highway, they do not such as you that a lot – which is enjoyable and you already know whenever you’re at house, they’re cheering for you. So both method, you form of get fired up for it.”

Bedard’s historic efficiency on the World Junior Hockey Championship, the place he set a brand new event scoring file en path to a gold medal, elevated him to must-see standing for hardcore and informal followers alike.

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“I am sufficiently old to have been right here as a child on opening day for the Saddledome and watched Wayne Gretzky play,” stated hockey fan Mike Stahl.

Some 40 years later, he introduced alongside his younger son, Niko, hoping that sooner or later he would have the same story to inform.

“We purchased tickets a month and a half in the past proper on the finish of the World Juniors and we have been fortunate to get a ticket then, so it is fairly wonderful.”

Since coming back from the world juniors in Halifax with some shiny new {hardware} in tow, Bedard has someway discovered one other stage to his already distinctive sport.

In his eight video games with the Pats because the break, the Regina captain has recorded 17 targets (together with three hat tips) and eight assists.

With a sensational buzzer beater from the underside of the circle on Wednesday evening, Bedard additionally prolonged his scoring streak to 35 video games.

He adopted that up with an help on Regina’s game-tying objective within the dying moments of the third interval, and by the way capped his evening with the game-winning objective within the shootout.

He has solely been saved off the scoresheet as soon as this season. However the consensus: Bedard is not simply inflating his stats.

On Tuesday evening, the Crimson Deer Rebels set a franchise common season attendance file with 7,287 followers (the season common is 3,829) filed into the Peavey Mart Centrium to look at the Rebels hand the Pats a 6-5 additional time loss.

Medication Hat is poised to greater than double its common attendance with a sold-out duel (with Yukon prodigy Gavin McKenna) on Sunday.

The Lethbridge Hurricanes have run out of seats to promote and at the moment are shopping for standing room solely tickets.

It is a boon for a gate-driven league that has skilled the monetary squeeze of a bubble season and followers who’ve needed to reduce their very own leisure budgets.

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“It is nice for the entire league and it is nice for junior hockey,” Hitmen communications coordinator Cassandra Vilgrain stated.

“Our hope is that it brings a brand new viewers to see what Hitmen hockey is like in our sport presentation and our sport expertise. Hopefully it provides a lift and continues.

“It is fairly unprecedented. I imply, you have had gamers like Joe Sakic and Jarome Iginla, and we have had gamers like (Ryan) Getzlaf who’ve performed loads of attracts. Within the age of social media and publicity that Connor Bedard has had, I believe it brings an excellent greater viewers and I do not suppose that is occurred earlier than.”

Maybe, like Getzlaf, Bedard will sooner or later have his jersey retired in his junior yr.

For now, although, he’ll proceed the playoffs along with his Regina teammates, spending lengthy bus rides throughout Western Canada, partaking in lengthy card video games and dreaming of the massive leagues whereas followers benefit from the probability to see a star of tomorrow at present.

In spite of everything, the subsequent time Bedard is within the Saddledome – it might very properly be as a member of a fortunate NHL group.

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