Kyle Davidson reacts to Blackhawks getting No. 1 pick originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
The Chicago Blackhawks will own the first selection in the 2023 NHL Draft, and General Manager Kyle Davidson was at a loss for words after the team earned that pick.
The Blackhawks, who came into the night with the third-best odds of acquiring the top overall pick, will have a chance to potentially draft highly-touted prospect Connor Bedard, and while Davidson was mum on how his team is feeling about that selection, he was over the moon with getting the chance to make the pick.
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“I couldn’t really believe it,” he told Pat Boyle, Charlie Roumeliotis and Colby Cohen on NBC Sports Chicago’s draft show. “When we hit top-three I was pretty excited. Seeing that number one flip over, I don’t recall what I was thinking, I blacked out a little bit. It’s a great day for the Blackhawks.”
Davidson’s team has gone through plenty of pains in the last year, saying goodbye to Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews and starting the process of turning over one of the league’s oldest and most expensive rosters.
With a stacked draft class and eight picks in the first three rounds, Davidson says the team is excited about adding elite talent.
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“It’s nice when you’re able to build around someone like we’re going to get with the first overall pick, and we’re just lucky to have the opportunity,” he said.
Davidson, understandably, didn’t want to comment directly on whether he would take Bedard or Michigan standout Adam Fantilli, but said that the team’s scouting department is looking forward to the process.
“We will have discussions moving forward. The fact we’re going to get one of these elite players into the organization is what I’m thinking about, and it’s awesome,” he said.
The NHL Draft will take place June 28 and 29 in Nashville.
