:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72408830/1239820365.0.jpg "2023 NHL Draft first pick: Who has the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 draft?")
The 2023 NHL Draft will take place on Wednesday, June 28 from Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. The draft lottery took place back in May, where a team was awarded the No. 1 overall pick and rights to draft center Connor Bedard. The Regina product is expected to be the next great hockey talent in the NHL. We go over which team won the lottery and will add Bedard to their roster this upcoming season.
2023 NHL Draft: Which team has the first pick?
The Chicago Blackhawks were awarded the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft back during the lottery in May. The Blackhawks had entered the lottery with the third-best odds to win the first pick. Behind Chicago, the Anaheim Ducks will select second while the Columbus Blue Jackets will go third.
The last time the Blackhawks had the No. 1 overall pick was back in 2007, when the team selected RW Patrick Kane from the London Knights. Kane would go on to win three Stanley Cup championships with the franchise over his tenure, which appeared to end at the trade deadline this year. Kane was traded to the New York Rangers and is now a pending free agent this offseason. The Hawks would pair Kane with No. 3 overall pick in 2006, center and captain Jonathan Toews. The duo would go on to help form the latest Blackhawks dynasty. Bedard could be the key piece to spark the next one.