CHICAGO, IL – The Chicago Blackhawks have won the 2023 NHL Draft lottery and will have the first pick in the draft, which will be held at the end of June in Nashville, Tennessee.
The Blackhawks had a 11.5% chance of winning, with Anaheim (25.5%) and Columbus (13.5%) ahead of them. This is the second time the Blackhawks will draft first overall, with the previous time being in 2007, when they selected Patrick Kane.
The consensus No. 1 overall pick this year is Connor Bedard, a generational talent who had a historic season in the Western Hockey League, with 143 points (71 goals, 72 assists) in 57 regular-season games and 20 points (10 goals, 10 assists) in seven postseason games.
Bedard was selected first overall by the Regina Pats in the WHL Bantam Draft in 2020 and is the first WHL player of exceptional status. He will be eligible for the 2023 NHL Entry Draft and is projected to be picked first overall.
During the 2023 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, Bedard set a new world record for World Junior points by a player under the age of 19. A record previously held by NHL legend Jaromír Jágr in 1990.
The Blackhawks are currently slated to have 11 picks, including two first-round picks, four second-round picks, two third-round picks, and one pick each in the fourth, fifth, and seventh rounds.
The NHL Draft is one of the most anticipated events in the league, with teams and fans alike eagerly waiting to see which players will be selected. With the Blackhawks now owning the first overall pick, they have the opportunity to add a player who could change the course of their franchise.
