Blackhawks select Bedard with first overall pick in NHL Draft

To the surprise of absolutely nobody, the Chicago Blackhawks selected 17-year-old Connor Bedard with the first pick of Wednesday's NHL Draft.

Bedard has been turning heads since he was 11 years old and has been labeled a generational talent, drawing comparisons to Edmonton Oilers superstar Connor McDavid, who was picked first overall in 2015.

It was basically a foregone conclusion that the Blackhawks would take Bedard with the top pick after they were the winner of the NHL’s draft lottery on May 8.

Bedard becomes the second player selected first overall by the Blackhawks, joining Patrick Kane in 2007. Kane helped lead the team to three Stanley Cups in 16 seasons before he was traded to the New York Rangers in February.

Bedard was the first person granted exceptional status to play in the Western Hockey League at age 15 and concluded his WHL career with an eye-popping 271 points in 134 games. His career points per game ranks 10th in league history and is the highest in the league since the early 1980s.

A certified sniper who already owns one of the best releases at 17, Bedard also is an outstanding skater with a deceptive and unpredictable style of play.

His 71 goals in 57 games last year were the most by a WHL player in 24 years, and his 143 points were the most since 1995-96. 

Bedard swept the Canadian Hockey League awards, becoming the first voted player of the year, top prospect and top scorer.

He further cemented his status as the best player available in this draft with a dominant showing for gold medal-winning Canada in the 2023 World Juniors.

Playing against players up to three years older than him on an international stage, Bedard set the Canadian record for most points at a single tournament (23) and most assists at one tournament (14) in seven games on his way to winning MVP honours.