What if the Chicago Blackhawks land the number one pick?

It’s no surprise that after an abysmal first half, the Chicago Blackhawks are in the running for the highest odds to land the number 1 overall pick in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. What if they actually land it?

If the Blackhawks land the top pick in the draft, the list of ‘What ifs’ and ‘Who to draft?’ is longer than a hot summer day in the sweltering Arizona heat but it’s an important issue to address.

Here are the top 3 scenarios of what should happen if the Hawks land the spot.

#1 – Not the pick you expect…?

Sure, his projected 138 points in the WHL is ridiculous and his 23-point Gold Medal run with Canada in the World Juniors showed his bright spots as a player but the size of Connor Bedard’s head isn’t the only way he’s challenged in size.

With 5 foot – 10 inches and 187 pounds of pure Canadian man, Bedard belongs in a locker room with guys who aren’t looking for a menacing puck carrier and has silky hands to make defenders look like they have their ankles tied together.

I see your Connor Bedard hype and raise you a 6 foot – 3 inch “Captain Serious” dumb to pass up on type of player. Adam Fantilli, University of Michigan.

He is a consensus top 2 pick and overlooked because Bedard’s bedazzling puck skills have mesmerized scouts. Fantilli is in a roster flooded with talent at Michigan and is still standing out with 11 goals and 15 assists for 26 points in 16 games played for Mel Pearson’s Maize and Blue.

Not only that, he posted as many assists as goals in 2 years for the Chicago Steel (55-55–110). That was also a loaded roster of NHL Prospects like Josh Doan, Sam Lipkin, Zam Plante, and Joe Miller, which is impressive.

His size and ability to make plays with the puck show his extreme ability to be a difference-maker in the future.

The Chicago Blackhawks have a lot of decisions to make this off-season.

#2 – Use Patrick Kane as leverage to pull in a high pick in the 1st round, and start the future there

The clock is ticking and the grains of time are draining on Kane in the Windy City, but don’t wastefully dump him. Dealing Kane is all but written in stone and needs to be done correctly.

He should get dealt at the deadline and the front office needs to make sure they have a strong base to start a draft in which they are guaranteed a top 5 pick.

They should make a deal with a team that has a lot to give and can make you look better than you did on the ice. They should be able to trade Kane away for a 15th or higher pick, be able to get 2 top players early on, and start there.

#3 – Make them forfeit the pick

Look, let’s all be honest here. No one wants to talk about it, but the way Rocky Wirtz and the entire circus handled the Kyle Beach situation, and what they allowed to happen to a player who wanted to make it big as an atrocity to the name of the franchise.

It also harmed the league as a whole and a worthy punishment needs to be handed down. There should be more than a $2 Million fine and a settlement. There has been no accountability.