Film Room: Riley Heidt is one of the draft's foremost high-risk, high-reward bets

The centre of the attention at the 2020 WHL Bantam Draft was, rightly, generational prospect and presumptive 2023 first overall pick Connor Bedard, but right behind him was Riley Heidt at No. 2 overall to the Prince George Cougars. And all he's done since is completely change the composition of the WHL's northernmost city.

The 5-foot-11, 179-pound centre first got a taste of WHL action at just 15-years-old, when he was made eligible to play in the COVID-19 Hub season. Following that with a successful draft-minus-one season, Heidt was primed to do numbers in his draft year.

That's precisely what Heidt did, finishing the year tying Bedard's 72 assists, good for a tie at first atop the WHL's leaderboard. His 97 points total across 68 games were third among first-time draft-eligible skaters. It’