Blackhawks draw No. 1 overall pick in 2023 NHL Draft
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The Chicago Blackhawks will own the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NHL draft, with an opportunity to take a franchise-altering talent.
This is the second time the Blackhawks will have the first overall pick. The last time the team had the top spot in 2007, when the Hawks picked future Hall of Famer Patrick Kane.
YOU HEARD IT HERE FOLKS, WE’RE PICKING FIRST ‼️ pic.twitter.com/vznFjcfXq8
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) May 9, 2023
The No. 1 prospect is a near lock to become a franchise-altering player. Canadian center Connor Bedard played for the Western Hockey League's Regina Pats this past season and racked up a league-leading 143 points (71 goals, 72 assists). The 17-year-old rising star has already drawn comparisons to players like Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby.
"I'm feeling a little bit stunned to be honest," Blackhawks General Manager Kyle Davidson told ESPN shortly after the announcement. "I'm a little bit speechless to be honest, but really, really excited."
Already, there is plenty of excitement about the Blackhawks' drawing the pick – in the form of season ticket plan sales.
"The team has already sold $2.5 million worth of season-ticket plans for 2023-24 in the 1.5 hours since winning the #1 pick — including more than 500 new full-season plans," the Blackhawks said in a statement.
When asked about the prospect of drafting a player like Bedard, Davidson said, "Anytime you're able to add elite talent like we'll be able to add in this draft with the first overall selection, it's a monumental thing."
The Blackhawks had an 11.5% chance to land the No. 1 overall spot. The team finished the 2022-23 season with a 26-49-7 record and eighth in the Central Division.
Last year, the Blackhawks selected defenseman Kevin Korchinski No. 7 overall, forward Frank Nazar at the No. 13 spot and defenseman Sam Rinzel at No. 25.
The lottery determines the top 16 picks in Round 1 of the 2023 NHL draft, with all non-playoff teams being eligible to earn the top pick. In 2021, the NHL altered the format for the draft lottery. The most notable was that teams can only move up 10 spots in the lottery process, which means that only the top 11 teams have a shot to land the No. 1 pick.
The Anaheim Ducks and Columbus Blue Jackets held the best odds to acquire the top pick in this year's draft. The 14 teams that aren't participating in the 2023 NHL Draft Lottery will receive the remaining draft selection in inverse order of their regular season point totals.
Following the draft lottery, the scouting combine will happen on June 4-10 at KeyBank Center and LECOM Harborcenter in Buffalo, N.Y. Many of the top North American and international draft prospects will be participating in the event.
Then the 2023 NHL draft will take place at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on June 28 and June 29.