![]() "We have to build a team," Davidson said. ![]() 1."ĭavidson never said Bedard's name after winning the lottery and alluded only to players at the top of the drafts who were "elite talents" and "NHL-ready." He'll get to announce Bedard's name at the start of the draft June 28 in Nashville, Tenn., which could turn out to be the start of a new chapter for Chicago. It's certainly a nice bonus and a nice surprise to come away with No. "No matter where we picked, I think we were going to get a great player," Davidson said. The strategy worked: Chicago lost 56 of 82 games to set up a chance at Bedard. The front office then decided to bottom out and plunge into a long-term rebuilding process, trading star forwards Alex DeBrincat and Kirby Dach at the draft last year despite each being under 25. It's more for the teams."īring It In NHL's apology doesn't make up for lack of responsibility in Chicago scandalĭavidson, who was not with the team at the time, took over on an interim basis and in spring 2022 got the full-time job. In a pre-taped TV interview, Bedard said of his future being determined: "There's different emotions watching, but I think we're all just watching as fans. But we're confident that we're going to get a big difference maker at 3." Long-time presumptive 2023 top pickīedard has been the presumptive top pick in the 2023 draft for several years, considered the best prospect available since McDavid, and before that, Crosby.Ī native of North Vancouver, B.C., Bedard led all junior players across Canada with 72 goals and 143 points this past season while playing for the Regina Pats of the Western Hockey League. "Everyone wants to win the lottery, then everything is your control, and obviously everybody's talked about a special player at the top of the rankings. "We're going to get a great player at 3, there's no question about it in my mind," Kekalainen said on a video call with reporters. General manager Jarmo Kekalainen said an on-air slip up revealing his team was picking third "spoiled the moment." League-worst Anaheim won the lottery for the second pick and will get to choose among a trio of talented forwards: Canadian Adam Fantilli, Russian Matvei Michkov and Swede Leo Carlsson.Ĭolumbus is set to pick third, continuing the Blue Jackets' run of lottery losing. Bedard etches name into world junior hockey history books with scoring output.Bedard mania is sweeping across the country.There's a lot of weight to that and lot of significance to that." It can change a franchise, it can change a city and it can change an era in a team's history. WATCH | Chicago leaps 2 spots to win NHL draft lottery: The Ottawa Senators will send their 12th overall pick to the Arizona Coyotes after trading their first-rounder to Arizona for defenceman Jakob Chychrun at the NHL trade deadline in March. ![]() The Vancouver Canucks (11th) and the Calgary Flames (16th) round out the Canadian teams who will select in the top 16. "It's really difficult to say that, but it's a talented and we're confident that we're getting a very talented player at five." "Whether that player becomes a franchise player, I don't know," Hughes said. Montreal, which had an 8.5 per cent chance of landing the top pick, will have the highest selection of any Canadian team in this year's draft, to be held June 28 and 29 in Nashville. Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes is confident he can add a "really good hockey player". After committing last year to a full-scale rebuild, this is Chicago' first lottery win since 2007 when they got Kane. Bedard as a generational talent has drawn comparisons to McDavid and three-time Stanley Cup champion and two-time playoff MVP Sidney Crosby, whom he idolized growing up.Ĭhicago will try to get back to hockey's mountaintop with Bedard as the new face of the franchise, replacing departed stars Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews who combined to help them win the Cup three times from 2010-2015. Connor Bedard is going to Chicago thanks to a big win in the NHL draft lottery that could alter the future of the storied Original Six franchise.Ĭhicago won the lottery Monday night for the right to choose Bedard, the league's most anticipated drawing since Connor McDavid in 2015. ![]()
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