Posted May 8, 2023 9:08 PM ET
MONTREAL — The Montreal Canadiens won’t get a chance at highly valued pick Connor Bedard, but they will still be able to add a top young talent after securing the No. 5 pick in Monday’s NHL draft .
Montreal, which had an 8.5 percent chance of taking first place, will have the highest pick of any Canadian team in this year’s draft, which takes place June 28-29 in Nashville.
The Vancouver Canucks (11th) and Calgary Flames (16th) round out the Canadian teams who will finish in the top 16. The Ottawa Senators are sending their 12th overall pick to the Arizona Coyotes after trading their first-round pick to Arizona defenseman Jakob Chychrun at the March NHL trade deadline.
The Chicago Blackhawks won the lottery and will pick the overall winner. The Anaheim Ducks pick second, and the Columbus Blue Jackets pick third.
Bedard, a 17-year-old center from Lynn Valley, BC, is set to go first overall as Edmonton Oilers star Connor McDavid was selected as the 2015 most-anticipated draft pick.
Bedard had 143 points (71 goals, 72 assists) in 57 games for the Regina Pats of the Western Hockey League this season, the league’s highest single-season total since 1996.
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