Monday night was one of those moments where you’ll remember exactly where you were. Yes, we’re all hoping that the minute they flipped over the card and unveiled that the Blackhawks had the #1 overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft will be a game changer, franchise boost, the event that will propel the Blackhawks to their next Stanley Cup(s). The tank was all worth it; welcome to Chicago Connor Bedard.
Where to start… well, how about the kid; they say he’s the “next coming”… the next Sidney Crosby, the next Connor McDavid… those are some big comparisons. If that is true, or remotely close to being true, the Blackhawks have hit the mother f-ing jackpot. My son asked to see some highlights, so I started pulling some up… nice, very nice. You know, the last time the Hawks had the #1 overall pick it worked out OK. Yeah, Patrick Kane helped guide us to 3 Stanley Cups; of course, he had a lot of help from his friends. So as one #1 leaves, another one enters… how many Cups will Bedard be raising???
It was very exciting to watch this unfold. My wife was asking why the hell were we watching. I explained to her that it would only take a few minutes, not the NFL draft commitment… haha. So we watched as things played out exactly as the odds said they would; this was good… until of course we got to the top, and then it happened. The Hawks were replaced by the Blue Jackets at #3; 50-50 shot!!! The excitement built. Earlier, before the lottery began, I told my son he’d be getting a Bedard jersey if the Hawks won the lottery; now, we sat with the odds of a coin toss. As he turned over the card and we saw the Indian Head, we both started screaming… yeah!!! I called my brother, and celebrated some more. This is a big deal. This could turn out to be, if we’re lucky, one of the most memorable moments in Blackhawks history. Of course, time will tell…
So just like the Bears, the tank was worth it for the Blackhawks. The Bears, getting the haul for their #1 pick. The Blackhawks, most certainly going to select the kid Connor. What are the Bulls odds to get the #1 pick??? Heck, we’re on a roll, why not??? Yes, things have taken a turn for the two teams in Chicago with the worst recent years in the books. The worst team in the NFL, the 3rd worst team in the NHL, have both received substantial boosts that will put these latest seasons far in the rear view. How soon will the Hawks elevate to the top of the NHL? I’m not counting on next year, but… similar to the Bears, I expect a big jump; 500 is a reasonable expectation IMO. And when you talk about 500, you’re a few pucks bouncing your way away from the playoffs. And when you get in the playoffs, anything can happen, so yeah… soon! I heard the Blackhawks sold a shit ton of season tickets once the lottery results were official. The Blackhawks are back in a big way.
No pressure kid. The franchise, city, and Hawks’ fans are only expecting you to be one of the best hockey players in the game in a short amount of time; that’s a lot for an 18 year old, no? Well, yes, a typical 18 year old, but not a kid that was born to play the game. Playing hockey IS his calling. Welcoming another great player to the city of Chicago warms my heart; it excites me. Do we have our next major superstar in the Windy City? I better start looking for that jersey for my son… Go Hawks!!!!
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