By now, even if you’re just a casual hockey fan, you know everything about Connor Bedard.
The 17-year-old phenom is fresh off of one of the best performances ever seen at the World Junior Championship. He then wasted no time finding the scoresheet in his return to the WHL, scoring four goals and six points in his first game back with the Regina Pats – a 6-2 win over Calgary. Bedard is on pace for just under 140 points, which would be one of the best outputs from a U-18 player in CHL history.
He’s truly the real deal. And all 32 teams could use a “generational” talent like him.
But which teams have the best shot at selecting first overall and grabbing a franchise-changing star? The last place team has the best shot at landing Bedard – in this case, that’s the Chicago Blackhawks at 25.5 percent. Teams can only move up a maximum of 10 spots, so only the bottom 11 teams are eligible to win the lottery.
Let’s take a look at the teams with the best shot at landing Bedard.
Chicago Blackhawks (25.5%)
Two summers ago, the Blackhawks acquired Seth Jones and Marc-Andre Fleury in an attempt to keep fleeting hopes of a Cup run alive. Last summer, Fleury was gone, as was much of the team’s top forward core, and in came two inconsistent goaltenders that had missed much of the past two seasons. The Hawks have embraced the tank, and, love them or hate them, sit with the best odds to land Bedard. The Blackhawks picked Patrick Kane with the first pick in 2007, and that helped set the foundation for the them to become one of the most dominant teams of the 2010s. Wouldn’t it be fitting if they brought in the team’s newest superstar in a year when many expect Kane to get moved?
Columbus Blue Jackets (13.5%)
The Blue Jackets landed prized free agent Johnny Gaudreau last summer. This summer, could they add their first true franchise superstar? Gaudreau has hovered around the point-per-game mark all season long, but it’s a far cry from the 115-point season he had a year ago. Injuries have decimated the Blue Jackets all season long, and a lack of support up front for Gaudreau doesn’t help. Bedard would definitely spice things up, but much more would be needed to move the needle.
Anaheim Ducks (11.5%)
This team should be a lot more fun, especially with Troy Terry, Trevor Zegras and Mason McTavish. The problem? After that, the talent level drops significantly, and the goaltending is doing its best to ensure they land a top pick in 2023. This could be an excellent spot for Bedard to land. He and McTavish had tremendous chemistry at the 2022 World Junior Championship, and could you imagine the creativity he’d have if lined up beside Zegras? The Ducks will figure things out eventually, and they’ve got a decent young core. Adding Bedard to the fray would be huge.
Arizona Coyotes (9.5%)
The public sentiment seems to be that most don’t want him going to Arizona. But if Bedard is marketed right, he is the kind of talent that can change a franchise off the ice as well. The Coyotes have never drafted a superstar, and it feels like they’ve been in a rebuild since Day 1. But with the team set for a new long-term home, imagine how big it would be to have an established young star leading the charge. Would it finally bring some stability?
San Jose Sharks (8.5%)
The Sharks are in an interesting situation right now, with a handful of their top stars surrounded by trade rumors. The main core – Erik Karlsson, Timo Meier, Thomas Hertl and Logan Couture – have been good this season, but how many of them will be around come draft day? The Sharks have an average prospect pool, but landing Bedard would be a huge addition to a group that includes Thomas Bordeleau, William Eklund and Mattias Havelid.
Montreal Canadiens (7.5%)
From a big-market standpoint, the Canadiens are positioned to get the best promotion out of landing Bedard. Things might look ugly now, but they drafted Juraj Slafkovsky first overall in 2022, Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki are thriving and the blueline looks promising. But Bedard would take this group to new heights, and he has already showed he can handle the pressure at the World Junior Championship. Could Bedard push the Canadiens up a peg instantly?
Vancouver Canucks (6.5%)
Wouldn’t this be a good story? The Vancouver kid going home to help turn around a struggling franchise? The Canucks have been in the headlines for all the wrong reasons this year, and could use just about anything to make fans smile again. The Canucks have, seemingly, played too well this year to be too deep in the Bedard race, but with trade rumors surrounding a number of key players, including Andrei Kuzmenko and Bo Horvat, you never know. They have 37 points, which is 13 more than the Blackhawks with half the season to go. Anything can happen, but for the fanbase’s sake, if they’re going to keep suffering, it better be worth it in the end.
Other notables: Ottawa Senators, Philadelphia Flyers, Detroit Red Wings, Florida Panthers
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