Blackhawks draft Bedard in hopes of turning franchise around

 

[June 29, 2023]  By Rory Carroll

(Reuters) -The Chicago Blackhawks selected Connor Bedard with the first pick of the NHL Draft on Wednesday in hopes the young centre can help bring the storied franchise back into contention for a Stanley Cup.

The 17-year-old Canadian, known for his creative passing and lethal wrist shot, will be a critical piece of the rebuilding of the Blackhawks after three consecutive losing seasons.

"It's hard to put into words," Bedard said about being drafted by the six-time champions.

"Growing up in an era where they were so dominant, so good with all the players they had. It's incredible looking down and seeing (the jersey) on myself. I couldn't be happier and can't wait to get started."

Bedard's first game as a professional will be Oct. 10 when the Blackhawks face Sidney Crosby and the Penguins in Pittsburgh.

"That will be unreal," Bedard said.

"He was my favorite player growing up and a big idol of mine. You couldn't have scripted it any better."

The only other time Chicago selected first in the NHL Draft came in 2007 when they took Patrick Kane, an American forward who won three Stanley Cups with the team and is one of the great players in the franchise's rich history.

There was never any doubt that Bedard, who is considered the best prospect since Connor McDavid entered the league in 2015, would be selected first overall.

He is already a two-time gold medal winner at the world junior championship, including a breakout performance at the 2023 edition where he was named the most valuable player after leading all skaters in goals (9), assists (14) and points (23).

With the Western Hockey League's Regina Pats, Bedard's 71 goals during the 2022-23 season were the most by a WHL player in 24 years while his 143 points marked the league's highest single-season total in 27 years.

Jun 28, 2023; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Connor Bedard before the 2023 NHL Draft at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

Chicago won their last three Stanley Cups in 2010, 2013 and 2015 but have not advanced past the first round of the playoffs since, and committed to a rebuild where they would focus on developing young players.

That plan was given a massive and timely boost when they won the NHL draft lottery in May, just 10 weeks after trading Kane in a deal that marked the end of a golden era for the team.

The Anaheim Ducks surprised some, including Leo Carlsson, when they used the second pick to draft the big Swedish centre.

"I was a bit surprised but super blessed," Carlsson said with a smile.

That cleared the way for the University of Michigan's Adam Fantilli to be snatched up by the Columbus Blue Jackets.

The San Jose Sharks chose centre Will Smith and the Montreal Canadiens took defenseman David Reinbacher to round out the top five picks at the Draft, which is being held over two days in Nashville.

(Reporting by Rory Carroll in Los Angeles, Additional reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman and Chris Reese)

[© 2023 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.  Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.