The Montreal Canadiens are one of the most exciting young teams in the NHL, and they have more talent coming in the pipeline.
Now one of those prospects has taken home the top individual award in the Western Hockey League.
Defenceman Bryce Pickford, a third-round pick by the Canadiens in 2025, was awarded the Four Broncos Memorial Trophy as WHL player of the year on Wednesday. The announcement came one day after he also took home the Bill Hunter Memorial Trophy as the WHL's top defenceman.
The 20-year-old Pickford was captain of the Medicine Hat Tigers this season and scored 45 goals and 83 points, with a plus-55 rating. His 45 goals placed second in the league and are the most by a defenceman in the WHL in 38 years.
It is the second straight year a Tigers player was named WHL MVP after Gavin McKenna won the award in 2025. The other finalists this season were JP Hurlbert of the Kamloops Blazers, Tij Iginla of the Kelowna Rockets, Liam Ruck of the Tigers, Markus Ruck of the Tigers and Cameron Schmidt of the Seattle Thunderbirds.
Pickford and the Tigers advanced to the third round of the WHL playoffs but lost to the Prince Albert Raiders in six games.
