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The Canadiens gained’t be drafting Connor Bedard.
The Chicago Blackhawks gained the NHL Draft Lottery Monday night time and could have the No. 1 total decide on June 28 in Nashville. The Canadiens ended up with the fifth total decide within the lottery.
The Blackhawks had the third-best odds of successful the draft lottery at 11.5 per cent, trailing the Anaheim Geese (25.5 per cent) and the Columbus Blue Jackets (13.5 per cent).
The Canadiens had the fifth-best odds at 8.5 per cent after ending twenty eighth out of 32 groups within the total NHL standings this season with a 31-45-6 report.
The highest 10 picks on the draft, so as, will go to the Blackhawks, the Geese, the Blue Jackets, the San Jose Sharks, the Canadiens, the Arizona Coyotes, the Philadelphia Flyers, the Washington Capitals, the Detroit Purple Wings and the St. Louis Blues.
The Blackhawks completed thirtieth total with a 26-49-7 report, 9 factors behind of the Canadiens.
Bedard, who gained’t flip 18 till July 17, is taken into account to be a generational expertise. The North Vancouver native posted 71-72-143 totals in 57 regular-season video games this season with the Regina Pats and added 10-10-20 totals in seven WHL playoff video games. At this 12 months’s world junior championship, the 5-foot-10, 185-pound centre had 9-14-23 totals in seven video games whereas serving to Canada win the gold medal.
Don Meehan, the founder and president of Newport Sports activities Administration, mentioned it was Bedard’s efficiency on the world junior match that actually stood out this season. Newport is representing Bedard.
“To not reduce the importance of how properly he carried out in Regina as properly, however his efficiency on the world junior match as a 17-year-old was simply merely excellent,” Meehan, who has been a participant agent since 1980, mentioned in a telephone interview final week. “I feel he conveyed the entire traits which have allowed individuals to say that he has the aptitude of being a franchise participant or a generational participant.”
Bedard has been thought of a high prospect for his age group since being named MVP of The Brick match in 2015, shortly earlier than his tenth birthday. Bedard had 8-1-9 totals in six video games at The Brick match with the B.C. Junior Canucks and was named match MVP.
Greg Landry, a participant agent with Newport Sports activities Administration, doesn’t imagine Bedard felt any further stress this season heading into the NHL Draft.
“He’s been below the highlight since he’s been 8, 9, 10 years outdated,” Landry mentioned “He’s been talked about in British Columbia and all through Canada. He was on the quilt of The Hockey Information at 12 or 13. I don’t suppose going into this 12 months he felt any extra stress. He’s type of all the time had these expectations on him.
“I simply suppose his efficiency on the world juniors … I knew he may do particular issues, in fact,” Landry added. “However what he did at that match was unbelievable, surpassing a number of the gamers he did when it comes to efficiency and carrying the crew on his again in what is usually a 19-year-old match. To do it at 17 was unbelievable.”
Bedard is taken into account to be the highest prospect because the Edmonton Oilers chosen Connor McDavid with the No. 1 decide on the 2015 NHL Draft.
Dan Marr, vice-president of the NHL’s Central Scouting, mentioned earlier than the 2015 draft that he thought McDavid can be a good higher participant within the NHL than he was in junior. McDavid had 44-76-120 totals in 47 video games with the OHL’s Erie Otters through the 2014-15 season.
“As a result of on the NHL degree, you’re enjoying with these guys who’ve that very same hockey sense, timing and anticipation, the place they’re all the time in the fitting place on the proper time,” Marr defined on the time. “They’re all the time able to obtain the puck or able to get open for the shot.”
Meehan believes the NHL can be higher suited than junior for Bedard’s skills.
“I feel his ability degree and his imaginative and prescient will probably be compensated properly by enjoying with NHL gamers,” Meehan mentioned. “No query about it.”
McDavid missed 37 video games throughout his rookie season with the Oilers due to a fractured left clavicle. Within the 45 video games he did play as an 18-year-old, McDavid posted 16-32-48 totals. The subsequent season, McDavid performed in all 82 video games and had 30-70-100 totals.
After Bedard was named the highest North American prospect this 12 months by Central Scouting,
Marr instructed NHL.com:
“Bedard has the elite expertise and attributes that elite NHL gamers have, and it’s the precision by which he reads the play, is all the time in the fitting place and the way he executes and capitalizes on performs,. What locations him in that Connor McDavid-special class is his pure presence of thoughts and instincts that permit him to channel all these attributes to dominate when the chance is there and when it’s wanted most by his crew.”
When Meehan was requested if he thinks Bedard can have a right away impression on an NHL crew as an 18-year-old, he mentioned: “I feel so. Sure.”
We’ll discover out subsequent season when Bedard fits up with the Blackhawks.
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