The Chicago Blackhawks have secured the first pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, which left their general manager, Kyle Davidson, speechless. Despite entering the night with the No. 1 overall pick at the third-highest odds, Davidson’s team could draft highly-regarded prospect Conor Bedard, which led to him feeling ecstatic.
Last year was tough for Davidson’s team; they had to bid farewell to Patrick Kane and Jonathan Towes, which marked the beginning of the process of handing over one of the NHL’s oldest and most expensive rosters. Nonetheless, with stacked draft classes and eight picks in the first three rounds, Davidson says his team is excited to add some elite talent.
“It’s great to be able to build around someone like you get with the No. 1 overall pick,” Davidson said. While he declined to comment directly on whether Bedard or Michigan standout Adam Fantilli would get hired, Davidson said the team’s scouting department was looking forward to the vetting process.
“We will continue to discuss it. The fact that we have one of these elite players in the organization is something I think about, and it’s great,” he said. The NHL Draft will take place in Nashville on June 28th and 29th, and you can stay up-to-date by following the Blackhawks Talk podcast.