The Prince George Cougars won the WHL Bantam lottery on Wednesday, but the Regina Pats seemed to benefit the most. (File photo/paNOW Staff)

By Jeff D'Andrea

Bedard sweepstakes

Cougars win WHL Bantam Draft lottery, but Pats have first dibs in Bedard sweepstakes

Mar 25, 2020 | 11:48 AM

The Connor Bedard sweepstakes were won by the Regina Pats at the WHL Bantam Draft Lottery on Wednesday — well, sort of.

The Prince George Cougars actually won the lottery. But since they finished fourth last in the league, they will have the second overall spot as teams can only move up two spots in the lottery.

That means the Swift Current Broncos get the first overall pick as they finished last in the league. But since they traded away that draft choice to the Lethbridge Hurricanes, who then shipped the pick to the Pats, the first overall pick is Regina’s.

The Pats will now have first dibs of the highly-touted draft class highlighted by Bedard, who on Tuesday became the first-ever WHL player to receive exceptional status. That means he can play a full season in the WHL as early as next season and is not required to play his 15-year-old season in Midget AAA.

Bedard is the seventh player to have exceptional status in the CHL and joins the likes of Connor McDavid, John Tavares, Aaron Ekblad, Sean Day and Shane Wright in the OHL, and Joe Veleno in the QMJHL.

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Brayden Yager and Riley Heidt of the Saskatoon Contacts also were flirting with the exceptional status and will likely be selected at the top of the draft.

The Prince Albert Raiders, who won the WHL East Division and finished eighth overall in the regular season, will pick 15^th overall in the WHL Bantam Draft. The draft will be held online on April 22.

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Jeff.dandrea@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @jeff_paNOW