The Chicago Blackhawks are one day away from taking whoever they want with the first overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft. The general consensus in the NHL is the Blackhawks go with the highly coveted Canadian center, Connor Bedard. However, anything is possible until general manager Kyle Davidson makes the pick Wednesday night.
The Chicago Blackhawks are open to anything
Davidson said in Tuesday’s pre-draft press conference the Blackhawks were open to trading anything Wednesday. And while their 19th pick is the one most likely to be traded, you can’t rule out the possibility Bedard isn’t in Chicago Thursday morning.
Joe Yerdon with Bleacher Report wrote about dream trade scenarios for the Blackhawks with the number one pick. Yerdon thinks the Blackhawks receiving a couple of first-round picks and a couple of young players from the Montréal Canadiens could entice Davidson to think about trading the Bedard pick. Maybe if only for a second:
“The Montréal Canadiens had a lot of lottery fortune last year when they won the No. 1 pick and took Juraj Slafkovsky. Missing out on the chance to draft Connor Bedard and ensuring the ability to roar up the standings in the Eastern Conference hurts. What the Canadiens are building looks solid, particularly with young guys like Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Kirby Dach and Kaiden Guhle along with Slafkovsky and Filip Mesar in the pipeline.
That’s a lot of strong young talent which is just what it would take to lure Chicago into thinking about trading the No. 1 pick. Montréal also has two first-round picks this year with the fifth pick and either pick 31 or 32, depending on whether or not the Florida Panthers win the Stanley Cup. Giving Chicago that list of prospects and saying they can pick any three of them and including both firsts this year makes for a fun “would you or wouldn’t you” argument.
If someone is going to make a run at the first pick, any player has to be on the table and available, no matter how much you might love them, their potential or both.
Caufield being from Wisconsin would make him an automatic hometown-region guy in Chicago and given how he can fill up the net, an instant favorite too. Suzuki is the Habs captain and a strong scorer and leader while Dach used to be with Chicago and became an excellent player with Montréal this season.
The Canadiens would get the best player they’ve had since Patrick Roy and best forward since…the 1970s? Chicago would get a loaded crew of young forwards and still have a top-5 pick in this draft.”
Photo courtesy of Sporting News.
Trade Proposal for rights to Connor Bedard
Chicago Blackhawks receive:
- Nick Suzuki
- Cole Caufield
- Kirby Dach
- 5th overall pick
- 31st overall pick
Montréal Canadiens receive:
- 1st overall pick (Connor Bedard)
That would be one crazy story for Bedard and Canada. Bedard would get to stay in his home country and play in the NHL.
The Blackhawks shouldn’t take this trade. Not that the Canadiens would offer most of their future for one player. The Blackhawks should be better positioned to help a generational talent over the next few years than to risk taking on a few prospects with lower ceilings.
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