So, who are the Chicago Blackhawks going to take?
Silly question.
The Blackhawks won the draft lottery on Monday night, but there is no mystery, uncertainty or speculation about who they will take with the first pick in the draft on June 28. Might as well just say it now…
With the first pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, the Chicago Blackhawks select Connor Bedard.
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Bedard has long been viewed as the lottery prize and presumptive No. 1 pick in the 2023 draft. The Blackhawks, who entered with the third-best odds at 11.5 percent chance of winning, are soon expected to draft a generational talent who could quickly turn the franchise from lottery favorite to championship contender.
"Anytime you can add elite talent like we'll be able to add in this draft and with the first overall selection, it's a monumental thing," Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson told ESPN after the lottery. "So, it's extremely exciting. I'm really excited for the fan base, the city and the organization. But in the end, it's one piece, it's a big piece, but it's one piece that will go into building this team down the road."
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The 17-year-old Bedard enters the draft as arguably the most-hyped hockey prospect since Connor McDavid in 2015. A center for the Regina Pats, Bedard led the WHL in regular-season scoring with 71 goals and 143 points in 57 games. At the 2023 World Juniors, Bedard set the record for most career points by a Canadian (36) and most career goals by a Canadian (17).
That has led to some lofty comparisons.
"There's a bit of buzz, and for me, it's kind of crazy to see some of the things and people I've been compared to," Bedard told ESPN prior to the lottery.
The Blackhawks, who finished the season at 26-49-7, will be making the first overall pick in the draft for the second time in franchise history. In 2007, the team used the No. 1 pick to select Patrick Kane, their longtime star who they traded to the New York Rangers in February as part of their rebuild.
Only the bottom 11 teams from the NHL last season were eligible for the No. 1 pick in the draft, with non-playoff teams capable of jumping a maximum of 10 spots in the lottery as part of league changes implemented in 2022. There was no movement in the lottery until the top-three picks.
The Anaheim Ducks, who entered with the best odds at 18.5 percent after closing the season on a 13-game losing streak to finish with the league's worst record at 23-47-12, got the No. 2 pick. The Columbus Blue Jackets took the No. 3 pick after entering with the second-best odds at 13.5 percent.
Here's a look at the draft order determined by the 2023 lottery.
1. Chicago Blackhawks
2. Anaheim Ducks
3. Columbus Blue Jackets
4. San Jose Sharks
5. Montreal Canadiens
6. Arizona Coyotes
7. Philadelphia Flyers
8. Washington Capitals
9. Detroit Red Wings
10. St. Louis Blues
11. Vancouver Canucks
12. Ottawa Senators
13. Buffalo Sabres
14. Pittsburgh Penguins
15. Nashville Predators
16. Calgary Flames
Beyond Bedard, the draft class offers other talented prospects.
That includes Adam Fantilli, a Michigan forward who led the NCAA in points and goals and won the Hobey Baker Memorial Award as the top player in American college hockey. Russian star Matvei Michkov, in his age-16 season at the U-20 level, set a record for most goals by a 16-year-old at the MHL level with 38 goals and 56 points. Leo Carlsson, an 18-year-old center, tallied 10 goals and 15 assists in 44 regular-season games with Örebro HK of the Swedish Hockey League.
