Draft:Bryce Pickford
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| Bryce Pickford | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Pickford with the Medicine Hat Tigers in March 2026 | |||
| Born |
April 2, 2006 | ||
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (185 cm) | ||
| Weight | 185 lb (84 kg; 13 st 3 lb) | ||
| Position | Defenceman | ||
| Shoots | Right | ||
| NHL team (P) Cur. team |
Montreal Canadiens Laval Rocket (AHL) | ||
| NHL draft |
81st overall, 2025 Montreal Canadiens | ||
Bryce Pickford (born April 2, 2006) is a Canadian ice hockey player who is a defenceman for the Laval Rocket of the American Hockey League (AHL). He was drafted in the third round, eighty-first overall by the Montreal Canadiens in the 2025 NHL entry draft.
Early and personal life
[edit]Pickford was born in Chauvin, Alberta to parents Angela and Jim Pickford. Prior to living in Chauvin, his family lived in Leduc, where Pickford's mother worked as a nurse and his father owned a gym. Pickford grew up on his family's farm, where they house pigs, sheep, cows, goats and turkeys. Pickford and his four siblings are homeschooled.[1] His brothers, Austin, Kane, and Reily all play hockey across various leagues.[2]
Playing Career
[edit]Minor
[edit]Pickford spent two years not playing hockey as a teenager,[3] opting to train full-time with his father and work on the family's farm instead. When asked about his time away from hockey, Pickford said: “All I did was wake up, chores, farm work, work out for four hours, eat, then more chores and go to the rink in Chauvin all day and night. That’s just the way we grew up. Working comes first. The two years I took off was a mental grind. I really didn’t see anybody. I just had long hair, and I didn’t want to go into town; I just wanted to get my work done.”[1]
Pickford's father Jim was introduced to skills coach Adam Huxley while waiting in a rink lobby. Jim stopped him to ask if his kids would be able to skate with him. Huxley agreed, and quickly decided that Pickford was a AAA quality player. After his return to hockey, he played one season of AA before attempting to move onto AAA the next year. Despite making a AAA team, Pickford decided that the commute to Lloydminster was too far and that the team wasn't a good fit.[1] He instead played U18 AA with the Wainwright Wainalta Polar Kings of the Alberta Elite Hockey League (AEHL) for the 2021-22 season, recording 53 points in 30 regular season games. Pickford continued his scoring streak into the playoffs, gaining another 16 points in eight post-season games. Pickford played an additional five games with the Wainwright Bisons of the North Eastern Alberta Junior B Hockey League (NEAJBHL) who were coached by Huxley at the time. Huxley stated that he would have taken Pickford onto the team for the whole season, but that he wouldn’t have been approved for exceptional status.[1]
Junior
[edit]The night before the Western Hockey League (WHL) draft, Adam Huxley invited teams he had WHL contacts with to watch Pickford play a game with the Bisons. Pickford scored twice during the game, with teams lining up to talk to him and Huxley after it had commenced.[1] Twenty-four hours later, on December 9th, 2021, Pickford was drafted 38th overall in the second round of the 2021 WHL Prospects Draft by the Seattle Thunderbirds.[4] He signed a WHL Standard Player Agreement with the Thunderbirds on January 13, 2021.[5]
Pickford was called up to play with the Thunderbirds once his season ended with the Polar Kings and Bisons,[1] making his Major Junior hockey debut on April 9th, 2022 against the Spokane Chiefs.[6] He netted his first career WHL goal four days later in his second game with the team. Pickford played in just two regular season games during the 2021-22 season, going on to play a further eight games in the playoffs before the Thunderbirds were defeated by the Edmonton Oil Kings after making it to the WHL Championship.[7] Pickford played as a forward in his first ten games with the team, deciding to play defence ever since.[1]
In the 2022-23 season, his first spent solely in the WHL, Pickford recorded five goals and 12 assists in 54 regular season games. The Thunderbirds finished the season ranked first in the Western Conference, guaranteeing them a spot in the playoffs. Pickford recorded two goals and one assist in 17 playoffs games. The Thunderbirds ultimately came out victorious, beating the Winnipeg Ice for their second Ed Chynoweth Cup in franchise history.[8] Their post-season came to a end after being defeated by the Quebec Remparts 0-5 in the 2023 Memorial Cup final.[9]
Appearing in 65 games during the 2023-24 season, Pickford recorded two goals and 15 assists. The Thunderbirds missed the playoffs, ending the season ranked second last in the U.S. Division and third last in the Western Conference.
Pickford was traded to the Medicine Hat Tigers on May 9th, 2024 in exchange for a third round 64th overall pick in the 2024 WHL Prospects Draft, a second round pick in the 2025 WHL Prospects Draft, a third round pick in the 2025 WHL Prospects Draft, and a conditional fifth round pick in the 2027 WHL Prospects Draft.[10] Tigers Head Coach and General Manager Willie Desjardins spoke highly of Pickford after the trade, “Bryce set us up for success for the next two years,” he said. “We needed to add depth to our backend with moves made today and going forward, he brings plenty of experience from past playoff runs that lead to championships, Bryce is a strong defender that will help us get that competitive edge we need going forward.”[11]
In advance of the 2024-25 season, Pickford was announced as one of the Tigers alternate captains.[12] He recorded 20 goals and 27 assists in 48 regular season games, scoring more points in one season than he had in his entire WHL career. His shift in play style after being traded has been attributed attributed to the Thunderbirds having several top NHL prospects on their roster during his time with the team, resulting in Pickford being pushed down the lineup and needing to focus mainly on defence.[3][13] Pickford continued his scoring streak into the post-season, recording 13 goals and 11 assists in 18 games. The Tigers made a deep playoff run, making it to the WHL Championship where they defeated the Spokane Chiefs in 5 games, claiming Pickford's second Ed Chynoweth Cup. The team made it all the way to the 2025 Memorial Cup finals, where they lost to the Ontario Hockey League champion the London Knights with a 1—4 final score.[14] The Tigers had previously beat the Knights in a 3—1 round-robin game earlier in the tournament.[15]
Pickford was named the Tiger's 42nd captain in franchise history ahead of the 2025-26 season.[16] Despite missing almost a month with a upper-body injury,[3][17] Pickford managed to set another career scoring high with 83 points in 55 regular season games. Pickford finished the season tied with teammate Liam Ruck for second most goals scored in the WHL at 45, being the only defenceman to finish in the CHL'S top ten goal scorers that season.[18] He also tied at first in the CHL for power-play and game-winning goals.[19] Pickford was named as the WHL's Defenceman and Player Of The Year, being awarded the Bill Hunter Memorial Trophy and Four Broncos Memorial Trophy.[20][21] Pickford was also named to the Eastern Conference First All-Star Team.[22] Heading into the playoffs, he recorded six goals and six assists in 15 games. The Tigers were ultimately defeated in the Conference Finals by the Prince Albert Raiders after playing six games against the team.[23] In June of 2026, Pickford received the CHL Defenceman of the Year Award, becoming the second player in Medicine Hat Tiger history to win it.[18] Pickford was also named a CHL First Team All-Star.[24]
Professional
[edit]Despite being eligible for selection in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, Pickford went undrafted that year.[3] He was later selected in the 2025 NHL entry draft by the Montreal Canadiens with the eighty-first overall pick. He signed a three-year entry-level contract with Montreal on December 24, 2025.[25]
Pickford underwent shoulder surgery in July of 2026, preventing him from partaking in on-ice sessions at Montreal's development camp.[26]
Career statistics
[edit]Regular season and playoffs
[edit]| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2021–22 | Seattle Thunderbirds | WHL | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2022–23 | Seattle Thunderbirds | WHL | 54 | 5 | 12 | 17 | 50 | 17 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | ||
| 2023–24 | Seattle Thunderbirds | WHL | 65 | 2 | 15 | 17 | 68 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2024–25 | Medicine Hat Tigers | WHL | 48 | 20 | 27 | 47 | 65 | 18 | 13 | 11 | 24 | 12 | ||
| 2025–26 | Medicine Hat Tigers | WHL | 55 | 45 | 38 | 83 | 56 | 15 | 6 | 6 | 12 | 8 | ||
| WHL totals | 224 | 73 | 92 | 165 | 241 | 58 | 21 | 18 | 39 | 22 | ||||
Awards and honours
[edit]| Award | Year | Ref |
|---|---|---|
| CHL | ||
| CHL Defenceman of the Year | 2026 | [18] |
| First All-Star Team | 2026 | [24] |
| WHL | ||
| Ed Chynoweth Cup champion | 2023 | [27] |
| Ed Chynoweth Cup champion | 2025 | [27] |
| Four Broncos Memorial Trophy | 2026 | [21] |
| Bill Hunter Memorial Trophy | 2026 | [20] |
| Eastern Conference First All-Star Team | 2026 | [22] |
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Wheeler, Scott (April 23, 2026). "Inside Bryce Pickford's unconventional path to becoming a breakout Canadiens prospect". The Athletic. Retrieved August 1, 2026.
- ↑ Schram, Carol (May 25, 2026). "Sowing Seeds: Bryce Pickford Has Gone From Undrafted To Intriguing NHL Prospect". The Hockey News. Retrieved August 1, 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 Kepke, Cami (March 18, 2026). "How Habs prospect Bryce Pickford went from eight goals in three seasons to WHL scoring menace". Canadian Hockey League. Retrieved August 8, 2026.
- ↑ "WHL Prospects Draft: Recap". Seattle Thunderbirds. December 9, 2021. Retrieved August 5, 2026.
- ↑ "Bryce Pickford Signs with the Thunderbirds". Seattle Thunderbirds. January 13, 2022. Retrieved August 5, 2026.
- ↑ "Thunderbirds Cruise Past Spokane". Seattle Thunderbirds. April 10, 2022. Retrieved August 5, 2026.
- ↑ Van Diest, Derek (June 14, 2022). "Edmonton Oil Kings put away Seattle Thunderbirds to win WHL championship". Edmonton Sun. Retrieved August 5, 2026.
- ↑ Crabtree, Curtis (May 19, 2023). "Thunderbirds win second WHL title, beat Winnipeg 3-1 in Game 5 to win Ed Chynoweth Cup". Fox 13 Seattle. Retrieved August 5, 2026.
- ↑ Wheeler, Scott (June 5, 2023). "Quebec Remparts defeat Seattle Thunderbirds to claim 2023 Memorial Cup". The Athletic. Retrieved August 8, 2026.
- ↑ "T-Birds Trade Bryce Pickford to Medicine Hat". Seattle Thunderbirds. May 9, 2024. Retrieved August 8, 2026.
- ↑ "Tigers acquire defenceman Bryce Pickford in multiple picks deal with Thunderbirds". Medicine Hat Tigers. May 9, 2024. Retrieved August 8, 2026.
- ↑ "Tigers Announce 2024-25 Leadership Group". Medicine Hat Tigers. October 14, 2024. Retrieved August 8, 2026.
- ↑ Lariviere, Nick (March 19, 2026). "The Unexpected Journey of A Habs Prospect". The Sick Podcast. Retrieved August 8, 2026.
- ↑ Petryshen, Dawson (June 3, 2025). "Medicine Hat Tigers Drop Memorial Cup Final To London, Take Second-Place Finish". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved August 8, 2026.
- ↑ "Tigers Beat Knights 3-1 To Advance To The Memorial Cup Championship". Medicine Hat Tigers. May 27, 2025. Retrieved August 8, 2026.
- ↑ "Tigers Announce Bryce Pickford As 42nd Captain In Franchise History". Medicine Hat Tigers. September 20, 2025. Retrieved August 8, 2026.
- ↑ Tubb, James (February 20, 2026). "The captain returns: Pickford rejoins Tigers after injury rehab". Medicine Hat News. Retrieved August 8, 2026.
- 1 2 3 "Bryce Pickford named CHL Defenseman of the Year". Montreal Canadiens. June 16, 2026. Retrieved August 8, 2026.
- ↑ Rocca, Taylor (June 15, 2026). "Tigers captain Pickford named CHL Defenceman of the Year". Western Hockey League. Retrieved August 8, 2026.
- 1 2 "Tigers Captain Pickford Awarded Bill Hunter Memorial Trophy As WHL Defenceman Of The Year For 2025-26". Medicine Hat Tigers. May 5, 2026. Retrieved August 8, 2026.
- 1 2 "Bryce Pickford named WHL's Player of the Year". Montreal Canadiens. May 8, 2026. Retrieved August 8, 2026.
- 1 2 "Pickford & Rucks Named To Eastern Conference First All-Star Team For 2025-26". Medicine Hat Tigers. March 31, 2026. Retrieved August 8, 2026.
- ↑ Tubb, James (May 5, 2026). "Tigers ousted in East Finals by Raiders". Medicine Hat News. Retrieved August 8, 2026.
- 1 2 "Pickford & Rucks Named To 2025-26 CHL All-Star Teams". Medicine Hat Tigers. June 24, 2026. Retrieved August 8, 2026.
- ↑ Edmonson, Elias (December 24, 2025). "Why the Canadiens' Bryce Pickford signing comes with an important delay". Montreal Hockey Fanatics. Retrieved August 8, 2026.
- ↑ "Canadiens defence prospect Bryce Pickford to undergo shoulder surgery". Sportsnet. July 1, 2026. Retrieved August 8, 2026.
- 1 2 Séguin, Christopher (January 15, 2026). "#CHLStats: Medicine Hat Tigers defenceman Bryce Pickford's strong season puts CHL & WHL records in sight". Canadian Hockey League. Retrieved August 8, 2026.
External links
[edit]- Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or Hockeydb.com
Category:2006 births Category:Living people Category:21st-century Canadian sportsmen Category:Ice hockey people from Alberta Category:Canadian ice hockey defencemen Category:Medicine Hat Tigers players Category:Laval Rocket players Category:Montreal Canadiens draft picks