Bryce Pickford isn't the most heralded prospect in the Canadiens' prospect bank.
But these days, the defender is scoring goals and turning heads in droves. And why? Because he leads the WHL with 24 goals this campaign.
Remember: he is a defender.
Okay, he'll turn 20 in April 2026. But the 81st overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft is going through a crazy hot streak right now.
He has scored at least two goals in each of his last five games. Even for a striker this would be incredible.
In fact, he scored a hat-trick in one of those games, which means he's up to 11 goals in his last five games. This is absolutely incredible.
You need to keep an eye on him… especially when you know that he is capable of scoring goals like this “from Atlantic to Atlantic.”
5 MULTI-GOAL MATCHES FOR BRYCE PICKFORD!!!!
pic.twitter.com/d0gaJGGXBK
– Medicine Hat Tigers (@tigershockey) December 14, 2025
Of course, many would argue that playing in the WHL, at a lower level of play than, for example, the NCAA, helps him a little at his age.
This is a good point.
But the man who scored 28 goals in three seasons in the WHL is on another planet. And like we said, he plays in the WHL… not the NCAA or AHL.
Next year should be a different story. But now he's doing everything he can to get the Habs to pay attention to him as often as possible.
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By the way, for those who are interested, Pickford is younger than many of the players invited to the Canadian junior team camp, so he is eligible. Even so, Canadiens officials didn't call him.
A 19-year-old, 6-foot-1 right-handed defenseman who scores. Could Canada have the luxury of being without another scorer, leaving Justin Carbonneau and Marek Vanacker at home?
