Is The “Tank for Bedard” Mentality Real?
With the World Juniors Championship complete and 2023 officially here, the conversations about who ends up where in the NHL have begun. With the trade deadline being just under two months away (March 3rd) and the NHL Draft being about six months away (June 28-29th), all 32 teams are beginning to construct their futures.
With extremely talented and desirable unrestricted free agents available, such as Johnathon Toews and Patrick Kane, and a highly skilled draft class, it’s looking to be an interesting next few months for hockey teams and fans alike. But what are the General Managers truly thinking? And how is the plight of each individual team affecting their choices?
As in other pro sports drafts, the team with the worst record usually drafts first. In the NHL, the first pick is technically a “lottery”; however, one of the worst two or three teams will almost certainly get it. There are five teams this year that have really cemented themselves at the bottom. The Arizona Coyotes, the Anaheim Ducks, the Chicago Blackhawks, the Columbus Blue Jackets, and the San Jose Sharks. While this could change as we get into the second half of the season, it’s likely these teams will stay at the bottom, meaning one of them will walk away with the opportunity to draft a franchise player to be with them for the next 15-20 years.
For most, the choice seems obvious: Connor Bedard. The 17-year-old Canadian is in his second full season in the Western Hockey League. The WHL is one of the amateur leagues in Canada, where many players perfect their craft prior to joining the NHL. It functions similarly to the minor leagues in baseball (since the NHL doesn’t have an official “minor league” system).
Connor Bedard has been dubbed the next star since he was 15 years old, and rightfully so. So far this season, Bedard has played 28 games with the Regina Pats and has notched a total of 64 points (27 goals, 37 assists). That’s an average of just over two points per game. He’s on track to smash his already outstanding record from last season, where he scored 100 points (51 goals, 49 assists) in 60 games. He also won the MVP of the World Juniors tournament, beating the points record for said tournament.
But he’s not the only one. Many hockey experts have stated that this year's draft class is the strongest since 2015. There are other players out there who have great qualities to change the trajectory of a team. This draft will be critical for many teams looking to make a change.
Let’s take the current last-place team as an example: the Chicago Blackhawks. They currently have two of the best players of this century, Johnathon Toews and Patrick Kane. However, both of them would be eligible to be traded before this year's deadline of March 3rd. The community sense is that at least one will be traded, which would most likely be Toews. Toews is an incredible leader, passer, and playmaker on the ice. He’s usually about five steps ahead of any team he’s playing. He has been linked largely to the Colorado Avalanche, where the Blackhawks would undoubtedly look to take a heavy impact forward.
Patrick Kane’s best quality is his sniping ability. He puts the puck where he wants it so quickly that the opposition can’t even see it coming. However, his life off the ice is completely different. With a fiancée and a 2-year-old son, he has stated he wouldn’t want to go anywhere unless he was going home (New York). A likely destination for him would be the New York Islanders, who have an incredible defense but lack a little depth in their offense to carry them far in the playoffs. The Blackhawks would also likely take a power forward who's confident in their playmaking. Now, all that being said, that would gain Chicago at least two incredible players who are established in the league.
Now the team's true weakness is exposed: the defense. The Blackhawks' defense is extremely inconsistent. Yes, injuries have affected the ability to establish consistent pairings, but constantly giving the puck away and being unable to manage the blue line should not be a nightly issue. It must change in order for the Blackhawks to restore their glory from just a decade ago. GM Kyle Davidson has proven he’s not afraid to make risky moves. The team is looking to make the right decisions this year to be able to launch their future.
As we hit the midpoint of the season, these talks around the league will continue to amplify. Key players will start to fall into place, and many teams will start to evaluate what they need for the future. At the end of the day, teams care about winning, and not everyone will be happy. But no matter if you’re the best team in the league or the worst, having a strong future is just as important as having a strong presence.