NHL’s Connor Bedard Lottery May Generate McDavid-Crosby Impact
[ad_1]
Connor Bedard projects as a transformational hockey star, which makes him the coveted prize in the upcoming National Hockey League draft (June 28-29 in Nashville) and the focus of tonight’s draft lottery.
The Anaheim Ducks have the best odds to win the lottery at 18.5%, followed by the Columbus Blue Jackets at 13.5%. Whoever wins will be in position to take Bedard, and there really is no doubt.
More from Sportico.com
“Whoever winds up drafting Bedard, I would advise them that their ticket folks should get ready for some incoming calls,” Ahron Cohen, the former president of the Arizona Coyotes and now a venture capitalist for Advantage VC, said during a phone conversation.
Bedard, a 17-year-old forward, amassed 63 goals and 66 assists for 129 points at Regina in the Western Hockey League this past season. He accumulated nine goals and 14 assists for during the IIHF World Hockey Junior Championship to help Canada to the gold medal.
Bedard is the most anticipated young hockey player to join the NHL since the Edmonton Oilers selected Connor McDavid with the top pick in the 2015 draft and the Toronto Maple Leafs picked Auston Matthews No. 1 a year later.
“You think about what happened when Connor McDavid was drafted and how that transformed the Oilers franchise,” Cohen said. “That happened overnight just in terms of interest in the team, awareness and excitement going into the next season.”
McDavid arrived a year ahead of the opening of the Oilers’ $465 million new home, Rogers Place. He was the best marketing material a sales staff could ask for as it began selling pricey premium seats and sponsorships. The arena upgrade transformed the finances of the club. The Oilers ranked near the bottom of the NHL’s financial table before Rogers, but it finished the 2021-22 season with the NHL’s fourth highest revenue, despite playing in one of the league’s five smallest markets.
Rogers serves as the centerpiece of the 25-acre ICE District. The…
[ad_2]
