Which NHL Clubs Fall Hard for Bedard In 2023 Draft Lottery Race

As we approach the New Year, it’s a good time to touch on some important upcoming events that will take place in the NHL in 2023. With perhaps the most loaded draft class we’ve seen in some time in June — headlined by a potential franchise pillar in Connor Bedard — plenty of eyes will be on the race to the bottom of the league to nab the best chance at landing the Regina Pats superstar.

The team that finishes last in the NHL standings inherits a 25.5% chance of winning the draft lottery, leaving a 74.5% chance that the basement club will not pick first. As a result, plenty of clubs will be in the mix for the first pick as the bottom 11 clubs in the standings will at least have a chance at pick No. 1.

Rules aside, let’s take a look at the teams most likely to have the ping pong balls go their way for a franchise-altering pick from Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on June 28.

Chicago Blackhawks

Sitting dead last in the NHL in both points and points percentage, the Blackhawks are the current front-runner for Bedard’s services. Their chances could stand to improve depending on whether the club decides to trade two franchise icons in Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews, stars whose identical 10-year contracts expire at the end of the season.

If Chicago is bad enough to sit last in the league with both players in the lineup, it’s rather intriguing to see how much worse things could get without them. Maybe there’s light at the end of the tunnel in the Windy City, after all.

Anaheim Ducks

The Ducks are in a prime spot to give the Blackhawks a run for their basement-dwelling money. Anaheim ranks last or second-last in the league in a wealth of statistical categories, both traditionally and analytically. As a result, their .333 points percentage is tied for the second-worst mark in the NHL and it’s hard to imagine that mark improving much as a sure-fire seller at March 3 trade deadline.

While they’re both centermen, it sure would be fun to see what Bedard and Trevor Zegras could concoct in Orange County for many years to come. As the Ducks try to move players like Kevin Shattenkirk and John Klingberg, their record is likely to get worse.

Columbus Blue Jackets

Columbus is the club tied with the Ducks for the league’s second-worst points percentage amid a wildly disappointing season. They weren’t supposed to be this bad after landing the league’s marquee-free agent Johnny Gaudreau this past summer, but a total lack of defense and goaltending has done them in. They’re tied with the Ducks for last in overall defense while their .897 save percentage at five-on-five ranks 31st.

On a positive note, a top line featuring Gaudreau, Bedard, and Patrik Laine would be something to see.

San Jose Sharks

The Sharks are wasting an epic season from the resurgent Erik Karlsson as they own the league’s fourth-worst points percentage, continuing a disastrous run that’s seen them finish no better than sixth in the Pacific Division. Fortunately, the Ducks are primed to allow San Jose to stay out of the Pacific basement in 2023.

San Jose currently has an eight-point cushion on the last-place Blackhawks, albeit with three games in hand. They’re a Karlsson or Timo Meier injury away from giving their fans hope at the best chance at Bedard.

Philadelphia Flyers

The Flyers’ 2022-23 season has been nothing short of an unmitigated disaster. Pre-season expectations weren’t exactly sky-high, although the hiring of no-nonsense head coach John Tortorella at least gave way to a win-now mentality. Unfortunately, injury and underperformance have been the only consistency the Flyers have put forth this season.

The Flyers will be trade-deadline sellers, of course, but their available pieces aren’t going to net them a whole lot. Bedard would, in all likelihood, slide in as the team’s best player out of the gate.

Arizona Coyotes

With all due respect to the Coyotes and their faithful fan base, it would be a shame to see Bedard end up in the desert. Arizona hasn’t tried to put forth a winning hockey team in quite some time, qualifying for the postseason just once in the last 10 years, and that took place during the expanded playoffs of 2020 when they benefited from finishing fifth in their division.

They’re unlikely to finish last, however, as they sit nine points ahead of Chicago with both clubs 33 games into their season. Anything can happen, however, as the Coyotes don’t intend to get any better at the trade deadline.

Not to be Ruled Out

The Montreal Canadiens, Ottawa Senators, Florida Panthers, Buffalo Sabres, St. Louis Blues, and Vancouver Canucks will all be on tank watch in 2023. The NHL offers a tiny chance to these clubs at landing the first overall pick or at least moving up in the draft order to nab a high-end prospect in a deep draft class.

Needless to say, the Connor Bedard sweepstakes will certainly be a major headline in 2023.

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