TORONTO – The CHL Defenceman of the Year Award is given out annually to the top defenceman in the Canadian Hockey League. Bryce Pickford of the Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL) earned the honour after authoring one of the greatest goal-scoring seasons by a defenceman in modern CHL history.
The Montreal Canadiens prospect finished the 2025-26 season with 83 points, including 45 goals and 38 assists, along with a plus-55 rating in 55 games. His 45 goals were the most by a CHL defenceman in nearly 40 years, dating back to Greg Hawgood’s 48-goal campaign in 1987-88, and the highest single-season total by a CHL blueliner in the 21st century.
Pickford was the only defenceman to finish among the CHL’s top 10 goal scorers in 2025-26. His 45 goals were tied for second among WHL skaters, while his 19 power-play goals and 11 game-winning goals ranked tied for first in the CHL. The 20-year-old captain from Chauvin, Alta., also helped Medicine Hat claim a second consecutive Central Division title and was named to the WHL Eastern Conference First All-Star Team.
With the honour, Pickford becomes the second Medicine Hat Tigers player to win CHL Defenceman of the Year, joining Kris Russell, who earned the award in 2006-07.
