When McDavid was drafted, Edmonton had the third best chance at #1. The consolation prize was Eichel. They have the same # on Stanley Cups.

Colton Dach back in action for Seattle WHL, just in time for playoffs. Looks OK, playing a little on RW tonight.

When McDavid was drafted, Edmonton had the third best chance at #1. The consolation prize was Eichel. They have the same # on Stanley Cups.
- LAHawk

I would take McDavid over Eichel as a player a teammate and odds of leading his team to a future Cup . every time. I am not saying finishing last will guarantee we get Bedard it will not but gives us the best odds and that's important .And if we are fortunate enough to get Bedard it will not guarantee the HAWKS A Cup plenty of work will need to be done . I remember losing out on OV and Malkin and getting Cam Barker ,how that work out for the HAWKS . . But I know for one thing I rather be working with Bedard then against him .

I would take McDavid over Eichel as a player a teammate and odds of leading his team to a future Cup . every time. I am not saying finishing last will guarantee we get Bedard it will not but gives us the best odds and that's important .And if we are fortunate enough to get Bedard it will not guarantee the HAWKS A Cup plenty of work will need to be done . I remember losing out on OV and Malkin and getting Cam Barker ,how that work out for the HAWKS . . But I know for one thing I rather be working with Bedard then against him .
- oldduffman

Well my prediction is Montreal gets him.

Feels slimy to me to root to lose in order to “win”

Well my prediction is Montreal gets him.

Feels slimy to me to root to lose in order to “win”
- LAHawk

Well I hope you are wrong about Montreal ,talk about a team that has manipulated Canadian Jr. hockey and the draft for years
If rooting for the best end result for your favorite team is slimy, then call me Dr Slime. The Champagne will wash off the slime in due time

The possibility of Bedard as a line mate could happen in Arizona too. He will get the same opportunity to play in Arizona as he would in Chicago. So I'm not sure why he'd do it.
- GPHawksfan

Because Arizona is a dead end street.

Well my prediction is Montreal gets him.
- LAHawk

This is one of my nightmares too.

The conspiracy theorists will talk fix, and the Habs farm and present young prospects bunch would instantly upgrade and thrive, Kirby each gets 30 goals on his wing, etc.
The Habs are already getting two picks in the top 15 of a great class, so they need no boost to first overalll.
The Blackhawks really hadn't a strong group that has added boosts in the last couple years.
I look at San Jose and they didn't start their tear down until the 2023 deadline and they do need help.

And the Blues have three first rounders; they do not need bump from about nine / ten slot to first overall.

I look at Arizona and loathe that they keep trading away anyone before they have reached a freshness date. I don't like reward a team for incompetence as in the grab Nugent-hoptins, Jesse Puljujarvi, Draisaitl anuirse (at slot#7)nd the Russian flop nil yakupov, , and McDavid. (and Taylor Hall before)
All those chances to build around.

The Ducks have also added a nice stable of good prospects so I am not looking for them a winner either; they will be ok where ever they draft w/o a lotto win.

Columbus benefitted in the lopsided Seth Jone signing/trade and they also have gotten more the a few chances at good youngster.

The Blackhawks like San Jose are the need teams.

But...what happened if the Conor Bedard, the agreable no bad word for anything has been saving his preferences and decided he wants to lindros and NOT play for the winner.
Moreover, what happens if he says he wants too be like the sedin sisters, to play in Vancouver and nowhere else?

Need a 3-point outcome from the CLB-MTL game. A MTL win will all but cement a bottom-4 finish for the Hawks.

Looking ahead to each of the bottom 4 schedules for the last 10 games of the year:

ANA - @ARI, vs. VAN are the two most winnable games on their schedule (6H, 4A games)

Average opponent point total: 82.8

__________________________________________________________

CHI - vs. VAN, vs. PHI are the two most winnable games on their schedule (6H, 4A games)

Average opponent point total: 80.8

__________________________________________________________

CLB - @PHI is the most winnable game on their schedule (5H, 5A games)

Average opponent point total: 88

__________________________________________________________


SJ - @ARI is the most winnable game on their schedule (5H, 4A games)

Average opponent point total: 85.6

__________________________________________________________


So by the math, Columbus has the most difficult schedule remaining, while the 'Hawks have the easiest schedule remaining.

We're really gonna need some puck luck these next couple weeks, but I'm not feeling optimistic about our chances.
- TommyHawk

Philly and Vancouver have been playing fairly well recently

Because Arizona is a dead end street.
- bjphawkfan

So just wishful thinking then? That's all you had to say initially

Well I hope you are wrong about Montreal ,talk about a team that has manipulated Canadian Jr. hockey and the draft for years
If rooting for the best end result for your favorite team is slimy, then call me Dr Slime. The Champagne will wash off the slime in due time
- oldduffman

It bothers me everytime I see a "fact sheet about the NHL draft and how it lists the 1963 as the first year of a universal draft, as it is far from the truth; Montreal clearly had a huge monoply of player prospects in their amateur system by way of all the junior team sponsorships in Quebec....the only players available from 1963-1968 where the few prospects that were available in Quebec and Ontario not under the Montreal Toronto sponserships.
In the 1969 as the draft was one year before actually approaching true Universal Draft system, where the worst team could have any amateur no matter where he had been playing, so the Canadiens squeezed two picks from their sponsorships, before the newbie teams where gonna get help form youngsters as opposed to the older vets the expansion draft gave the new six.
Had got Marc Tardiff and Rejoin Houle, just because....
it was determined that this would be the final year of the draft in this manner and the sponsorship of Junior A teams would cease to be.
1970 was the first draft Montreal had to shed a tear when they lost junior Canadiens Gibert Perreault.
In 1971, knowing in advance the high abilities of top two picks 1971, Marcel Dionne and Guy Lafluer, Habs GM Sam Pollock thought his best chance of getting the No. 1 selection was a trade with the California Golden Seals. He gave up a first-round pick in 1970 (10th overall) and minor-league forward Ernie Hicke to acquire the Golden Seals’ first-round pick in 1971 and defenceman François Lacombe, who never played for the Canadiens, but did appear in 440 games with the Quebec Nordiques.

I don't think junior sponsorship was the only reason the Habs were good, but the debunking the myth of Hab French speaking prospects has the reason there were good has had many saying it wasn't the reason they won, but it kinda helped.

If the Blackhawk pick sixth, there are interesting guys with upside, like center Will Smith,Colby Barlow, Zach Benson, Ryan Leonard and Nate Danielson...no one can cap the upside on any of the kids...and even at slot #20-26 where the Lightning first round will be unless they go to conference finals, you see names of guys the have really good upside.

New Blog 4 game Skid, Game Day vs Vancouver, Standing Watch, and Two players to watch in NCAA Tourny: https://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=121157

It bothers me everytime I see a "fact sheet about the NHL draft and how it lists the 1963 as the first year of a universal draft, as it is far from the truth; Montreal clearly had a huge monoply of player prospects in their amateur system by way of all the junior team sponsorships in Quebec....the only players available from 1963-1968 where the few prospects that were available in Quebec and Ontario not under the Montreal Toronto sponserships.
In the 1969 as the draft was one year before actually approaching true Universal Draft system, where the worst team could have any amateur no matter where he had been playing, so the Canadiens squeezed two picks from their sponsorships, before the newbie teams where gonna get help form youngsters as opposed to the older vets the expansion draft gave the new six.
Had got Marc Tardiff and Rejoin Houle, just because....
it was determined that this would be the final year of the draft in this manner and the sponsorship of Junior A teams would cease to be.
1970 was the first draft Montreal had to shed a tear when they lost junior Canadiens Gibert Perreault.
In 1971, knowing in advance the high abilities of top two picks 1971, Marcel Dionne and Guy Lafluer, Habs GM Sam Pollock thought his best chance of getting the No. 1 selection was a trade with the California Golden Seals. He gave up a first-round pick in 1970 (10th overall) and minor-league forward Ernie Hicke to acquire the Golden Seals’ first-round pick in 1971 and defenceman François Lacombe, who never played for the Canadiens, but did appear in 440 games with the Quebec Nordiques.

I don't think junior sponsorship was the only reason the Habs were good, but the debunking the myth of Hab French speaking prospects has the reason there were good has had many saying it wasn't the reason they won, but it kinda helped.
- wiz1901

Sam Pollock got 90% of the expansion team GM their jobs so they felt they owed him something and gave up Draft picks easily just another way Montreal gamed the system