If the Coyotes had won the lottery, gaining the rights to Bedard would have helped the team during a May 16 vote to determine whether an arena will be built in Tempe. Perhaps, they'll get back in the mix now. The Blackhawks haven't been in a Winter Classic since 2019 because of the team's recent struggles. Being in the Central time zone means Bedard likely will spend a lot of time on national television. It's better for the league, ESPN and TNT to have a player like Bedard in a major TV market like Chicago. But he should be a draw for pending free agents, so the Blackhawks potentially could rebuild more quickly. Bedard would have a better chance at more immediate success on other teams. Only 13 players are under contract next season, according to Cap Friendly, and the Blackhawks already said they are moving on from captain Toews. Who will he pass to? Who will pass to him? Chicago's roster is very thin after all the departures. Plus, he's in the Western Conference and the Vancouver-area native will get more games on the West Coast than he would have if an Eastern Conference team had won the lottery, though not as much as if Anaheim, San Jose or Vancouver had won. He gets a solid coach in Luke Richardson.

The endorsement opportunities will be immense. He lands with an Original Six team and in a big city.

Should a team be rewarded for paring down that much? Winner: Connor Bedard Plus, the Blackhawks were the definition of organizational tank, moving out Alex DeBrincat, Kane, Max Domi, Jake McCabe and others either in the offseason or before the trade deadline.

Most people from then have left the team, but the scandal tarnished the organization.

The franchise is less than two years removed from the release of a damning report about how it mishandled a sexual assault allegation involving then-video coach Brad Aldrich during the team's run to the 2010 championship. 'When our logo flipped over there, I was like, 'Wow.'' Loser: Blackhawks critics 'It can change a franchise, it can change a city and it change an era in a team's history,' general manager Kyle Davidson said of having the No. It's reminiscent of when the Blackhawks built around Jonathan Toews (No. Bedard, by himself, won't get the team back to the playoffs, but he can provide enough excitement for fans as the team builds around him. Chicago won Stanley Cups in 2010, 20, but it has missed the playoffs for five of the last six seasons.

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