Blackhawks take Bedard with No. 1 pick in draft
Connor Bedard can finally appreciate looking forward to playing for the Chicago Blackhawks after spending the past few months avoiding the subject.
And the Blackhawks — and their fans who began chanting “Let's go, Hawks!” in Music City after Bedard was selected with the first pick in the NHL draft on Wednesday night — can begin looking forward to a new era with a highly skilled offensive forward who's drawn comparisons to Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby.
Bedard became the second No. 1 pick in Blackhawks history, joining Patrick Kane, who went first overall in 2007 and helped form the core of a team that won three Stanley Cups from 2010 to 2015. Kane's tenure in Chicago ended in February when he was traded to the New York Rangers.
“I can't put into words growing up and obviously, that's when they were going on their runs winning Cups,” said Bedard, who turns 18 on July 17. “You watched a lot of them and you see the United Center going crazy and all of Chicago getting behind them and you know (the) Original Six and so much history here.”
As for why he spent the past two months deflecting questions about the Blackhawks? Bedard smiled and said: “I didn't want to jinx myself.”
VEGAS TRADES SMITH TO PENGUINS >> The Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights are already preparing to try to repeat, trading a longtime franchise cornerstone and keeping their best trade deadline pickup.
Vegas on Wednesday traded Reilly Smith to the Pittsburgh Penguins and resigned fellow forward Ivan Barbashev to a five-year contract worth $25 million. The moves came hours before the start of NHL draft.
Barbashev, a key contributor on the Golden Knights' title run with 18 points in 22 games, was expected to be one of the top players available in free agency. Instead, the 27-year-old Russian power forward will count $5 million against the salary cap through 2028.
That was exactly Smith's cap hit, making this another set of bold moves by Vegas general manager Kelly McCrimmon, who has shown a willingness to take risks in the name of getting younger and winning championships — and not worrying about sentimentality.
The deal is the first big roster splash for new Penguins president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas, who is tasked with getting the team back into the playoffs and continuing to contend with Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang still around.
Neither team is likely done dealing.
Vegas still needs to finalize a new contract for Cupwinning goaltender Adin Hill and could soon start working on an extension for playoff MVP Jonathan Marchessault, who has a year left on his contract.
Pittsburgh is in the market for a starting goalie, with Tristan Jarry expected to hit free agency. AVALANCHE ACQUIRE COLTON FROM LIGHTNING >> The Colorado Avalanche acquired forward Ross Colton in a trade with the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday, hours before the start of the NHL draft. Colorado sent the 37th pick in the draft to Tampa Bay for the player who scored the Lightning's Stanley Cup-clinching goal in 2021.
DEVILS RE-SIGN MEIER TO 8-YEAR, $70M CONTRACT >> The New Jersey Devils secured another piece from last year's team, re-signing former Sharks forward Timo Meier to an eight-year, $70.4 million contract through the 2030-31 NHL season.