Blackhawks win Bedard sweepstakes
The Chicago Blackhawks have won the Connor Bedard sweepstakes.
Chicago won the 2023 NHL Draft Lottery Monday night to put themselves in prime position to select Bedard with the first overall pick later this year.
Regina’s captain led the CHL in both goals (71) and points (143) in 2022-23 as he had his second straight 50-goal, 100-point season. During the regular season, Bedard recorded nine hat-trick’s and had 16 games where he tallied at least four points. In seven postseason games, he scored 10 times and registered 20 points. After he was the first player to be granted exceptional status in WHL history, the North Vancouver, B.C., native amassed 134 goals and 271 points in 134 games with the Pats.
The 17-year-old also won a second World Juniors gold medal in January where he set a new Canadian record with 23 points in the tournament. Bedard’s 17 goals and 36 points are the most by a Canadian in World Juniors history.
The @NHLBlackhawks will select first overall in the 2023 #NHLDraft. pic.twitter.com/6csP76AuxI
— NHL (@NHL) May 9, 2023
“I saw Sidney Crosby and I didn’t think I’d ever see a junior player that would be as dominant as that, and then I saw Connor McDavid and thought I’d never see another player that dominant. But here comes Connor Bedard,” Central Scouting director David Gregory said.
Chicago entered the draft lottery with the third best odds at picking first overall at 13.5 per cent and subsequently leapfrogged Anaheim and Columbus in the process.
Bedard is considered the consensus no.1 pick for the 2023 NHL Draft and was one of 141 CHL players listed in NHL Central Scouting’s final rankings.
While Bedard topped those rankings, Zach Benson (6/WPG), Nate Danielson (7/BDN), Samuel Honzek (9/VAN), Brayden Yager (11/MJ), Colby Barlow (12/OS), Cal Ritchie (13/OSH), Quinten Musty (14/SBY), Andrew Cristall (15/KEL), Ethan Gauthier (16/SHE), Lukas Dragicevic (18/TC), Etienne Morin (19/MON) and Oliver Bonk (20/LDN) all ranked inside the Top 20.
Anaheim, Columbus, San Jose and Montreal round out the Top 5 picks.
The 2023 NHL Draft takes place June 28-29 in Nashville.