The Chicago Blackhawks need to tank for this draft prospect

The Chicago Blackhawks are expected to be a very bad team in 2022-23. They are clearly stripping down their roster so that they can rebuild it back up the right way. There are a few things that they have done this offseason that suggest that they are subscribing to this philosophy.

For one, they have traded both Kirby Dach and Alex DeBrincat. For each of them, they landed first-round picks in a draft (2022) that they had none because of the Seth Jones trade. They also added a third via a trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Drafting and developing is the best way to build a core in the NHL. Then, when you are done with that and ready to win, you can start making some trades and spending in free agency to supplement your new core.

Well, the 2023 Draft is one that is expected to be very strong and the Blackhawks are in a prime position to be drafting near the top of the board. If they are as bad as it seems like they are going to be this year, the number one overall pick could be theirs.

The Chicago Blackhawks are a team that has a full-blown tank on their mind.

If the Blackhawks won the lottery and the first overall pick, they would select Connor Bedard. He is a center that comes from North Vancouver in British Columbia, Canada. This 2022-23 season is his draft year and he will spend it with the Regina Pats of the WHL.

With Regina in 2021-22 as a 16-year-old, he scored 51 goals and had 49 assists for 100 points in 62 games. That is insane production for a kid that isn’t even draft eligible yet. This upcoming season should see him put up insane numbers.

If the Blackhawks won the lottery, their rebuild would be sped up quickly. He is probably ready to play in the NHL right now but is freshly 17 and will have to wait until next year to be drafted. He is probably the best draft-eligible prospect since Jack Hughes in 2019 and will take less time to become a star than Hughes did.

He is currently competing in the 2022 World Junior Classic that is going on right now in Edmonton, Alberta and he is lighting the world on fire. A lot of teams are going to be tanking for him as they should because he can be very good.

The Blackhawks can take the tank a step further. It might be hard to trade Jonathan Toews or Seth Jones but Patrick Kane will land them a lot and secure them bad enough to be in the mix for Bedard. It is definitely something to consider for Chicago.

If all goes well and they land Bedard, the United Center will be brought to its feet regularly because of him.