Connor Bedard Sweepstakes - Draft Lottery May 8th

[rtstr]

My original thoughts were that this was going to be the Patrick Kane year all over again.

Flyers and Chicago both in the mix - and Chicago ends up getting Bedard and Flyers get 2nd overall and the player ends up being a JVR and no where near as good as Connor Bedard.

Interesting you say that... Adam Fantilli is looking like the most likely player to go #2 and he has been incredible as a freshman in the NCAA. He is certainly not a JVR and I actually think he is not far behind Bedard.

I LOVE Bedard's talent but he has a long way to go to be successful with adults. I don't think he's a McDavid-level prospect... he does not play a great team game IMO. I find him to be a pretty selfish player and that approach will not work in the NHL. All of the hype is glossing over the fact that he has a ton of maturing to do, which is concerning for a prospect that's been praised since he was literally a little kid. Makes me wonder what kind of off-ice support team/agent/management he has.

I expect a Stamkos-like progression in the NHL... steep learning curve, then an explosion in year two.

Sorry for the tangent response but I'm not so sure 1st overall is such a massive advantage over 2.

[2014olympicgold]

I also badly want a Duchene/Ottawa level of trade to happen where it involves next yrs 1st (2024 draft) without protection. Misa is just as touted as Bedard.

All the picks traded in the 2024 draft are top 10 protected essentially. So the likelihood of a 2023/2024 pick to not involved a top 10/top5 protection is so low. I think the Florida 1st that Montreal owns in the Chariot trade is unprotected, but that was a complicated conditional pick lol.

[niconasr]

I also badly want a Duchene/Ottawa level of trade to happen where it involves next yrs 1st (2024 draft) without protection. Misa is just as touted as Bedard.

All the picks traded in the 2024 draft are top 10 protected essentially. So the likelihood of a 2023/2024 pick to not involved a top 10/top5 protection is so low. I think the Florida 1st that Montreal owns in the Chariot trade is unprotected, but that was a complicated conditional pick lol.

The Panthers first in the Chiarot deal was complicated but not as complicated as the one in the Monahan deal!

[BloodSport]

I also badly want a Duchene/Ottawa level of trade to happen where it involves next yrs 1st (2024 draft) without protection. Misa is just as touted as Bedard.

All the picks traded in the 2024 draft are top 10 protected essentially. So the likelihood of a 2023/2024 pick to not involved a top 10/top5 protection is so low. I think the Florida 1st that Montreal owns in the Chariot trade is unprotected, but that was a complicated conditional pick lol.

Misa is 2025

[stevegamer]

There's going to be a lot of teams or fanbases in 3yrs, wondering why they were lying to themselves and didn't hit the rebuild button quicker.

Teams like Flyers, Penguins, Capitals, Preds, Jets, Blues, Devils and Vancouver are just the ones off the top of my head.

Penguins & Capitals aren't rebuilding with the star power core they have.
The Devils did hit the rebuild button - to get Hughes & Hischier. They can't hit it a "rebuild" button again until they actually build something.
Flyers have a braintrust dumber than my big toe - I'm not sure which toe is dumber, though honestly.
Blues have a core which won a Stanley Cup fairly recently, they get a pass.
Jets, Canucks, and maybe the Predators are the ones who could have regrets, but we'll see.

I have a feeling it's going to be a Western conference team. While the same number of teams will miss the playoffs in each conference, I expect the East to be stronger in general, with more teams just missing.

[Invictus]

Blues also gave Avalanche probably the hardest test.

[pmorrow]

Screen Shot 2023-01-11 at 6.42.31 PM.png

Biiig asterisk beside the Panthers, who traded their pick to the Habs unprotected.

[berni67]

Screen Shot 2023-01-11 at 6.42.31 PM.png

Biiig asterisk beside the Panthers, who traded their pick to the Habs unprotected.

Florida will be better in 2nd half. Barkov is back.

As a Habs fan, will be hilarious that this pick will be no1 …..

[Pengwin7]

Man... I called it when they hired Torts... but Philly is really going to blunder this thing.
All they needed to do was sign nobody in offseason and sign a nobody coach and they'd be a bottom 5 team.
Instead, Torts is doing exactly what I thought he would/could... getting enough out of them to finish in the 20-25 range.
Not close to playoffs. Not close to Bedard. Dave Scott (PHI ownership rep) and Fletcher (GM) need to both go.

PHI is currently in 9th last (24th overall).
They're gonna not only have awful odds at Bedard... but they are going to miss all the studs in the top 5/6.

I'm rooting hard on Columbus now.
Boy - that team has at least tried, with Gaudreau signing, and just had the worst luck (Werenski, Voracek, Jenner inj.)

CBJ... for me.
Make it happen hockey-luck-gods!!!

[tweetdrivr]

Habs.

[PenguinHunter]

Man... I called it when they hired Torts... but Philly is really going to blunder this thing.
All they needed to do was sign nobody in offseason and sign a nobody coach and they'd be a bottom 5 team.
Instead, Torts is doing exactly what I thought he would/could... getting enough out of them to finish in the 20-25 range.
Not close to playoffs. Not close to Bedard. Dave Scott (PHI ownership rep) and Fletcher (GM) need to both go.

PHI is currently in 9th last (24th overall).
They're gonna not only have awful odds at Bedard... but they are going to miss all the studs in the top 5/6.

I'm rooting hard on Columbus now.
Boy - that team has at least tried, with Gaudreau signing, and just had the worst luck (Werenski, Voracek, Jenner inj.)

CBJ... for me.
Make it happen hockey-luck-gods!!!

[Axeman33]

Habs.

I want to say the Habs need to start selling off assets to tank but they are already pretty bad with the ones they have.

Not talking about the Habs directly, but these teams that are losing games hand over fist (Habs, Hawks, Ducks to name a few) must be embarrassed. I know management is smiling with the losing, but the players have to be hating this. These are proud professional players and anyone who plays any sport hates to lose, especially these guys at the level they are at, are not used to losing. I am embarrassed for them. I dont think the players are putting their gear on each night saying "let's go out and lose this one for a better pick boys"!

[Canucks_fan18]

I want to say the Habs need to start selling off assets to tank but they are already pretty bad with the ones they have.

Not talking about the Habs directly, but these teams that are losing games hand over fist (Habs, Hawks, Ducks to name a few) must be embarrassed. I know management is smiling with the losing, but the players have to be hating this. These are proud professional players and anyone who plays any sport hates to lose, especially these guys at the level they are at, are not used to losing. I am embarrassed for them. I dont think the players are putting their gear on each night saying "let's go out and lose this one for a better pick boys"!

I also don't think it works for the organization or the team. I think it builds a losing culture. Look at Edmonton. Their finely half decent but it's been 16 years and they have had 4 first overall picks, 2 other top 5 picks and one of the first overall picks perhaps being the best talent in history. Still their team might miss the playoffs.

You got to try and win every game to build a team and organization that plays the right way.

[2014olympicgold]

Flyers are also in a spot where what's more detrimental to the organization that has longer term contracts, losing out and gaining maybe like 4% higher chance or competing and hoping to jump. They're about 5 months late for the tank.

I think your teams are wittled down to Chicago, CBJ, Anaheim, Arizona and maybe SJS.
Chicago - noooo thank you
CBJ - Last long term star was Nash
Anaheim - They have their guys
Arizona - Honestly wouldn't mind them getting him to go with Guenther
SJS - They had their chance to me, but Bedard would really turn them around for the end of some players careers.

[Canucks_fan18]

Oilers will miss the playoffs narrowly and somehow win the lottery. The Connors will be together but they will still miss the playoffs because of Nurses contract.