As the 2023 NHL Draft approaches, several teams are vying for the top pick and the chance to select highly-touted prospect, Connor Bedard. Among these teams are the San Jose Sharks, Columbus Blue Jackets, and Anaheim Ducks.
Bedard, a 16-year-old forward from Canada, has been generating buzz in the hockey world for several years now. He was granted exceptional player status by Hockey Canada, allowing him to play in the Western Hockey League (WHL) as a 15-year-old. In his rookie season with the WHL’s Regina Pats, Bedard put up an impressive 28 goals and 29 assists in just 15 games.
Now, as he prepares for the 2023 draft, Bedard is widely considered to be the top prospect available. He possesses a rare combination of speed, skill, and hockey IQ that has scouts drooling over his potential.
The Sharks, Blue Jackets, and Ducks are all teams that could benefit greatly from adding Bedard to their roster. San Jose has struggled in recent years and could use a dynamic young player to help kickstart a rebuild. Columbus is in a similar situation, having lost several key players in recent years and looking to build for the future. Anaheim has a solid young core of players but could use a game-changing talent like Bedard to take them to the next level.
Of course, there are no guarantees in the draft. Even the most highly-touted prospects can fail to live up to expectations. But Bedard’s potential is tantalizing enough that these three teams, along with several others, will likely be doing everything they can to position themselves for a shot at him.
The draft order will ultimately be determined by a lottery system, so even finishing with the worst record in the league doesn’t guarantee the top pick. But regardless of where they end up picking, the Sharks, Blue Jackets, and Ducks will be hoping to land a player who could be a cornerstone of their franchise for years to come.
