The Daily: Tanking Pays Off For Blackhawks; Barlow to Detroit?

The Chicago Blackhawks entered rebuilding mode last summer. Several moves, including trading Alex Debrincat were made in the name of adding draft picks and setting themselves up to end up with a quality draft pick.

But tanking only is effective when a team has the luck to go with it. The Blackhawks achieved that luck Monday night when they won the NHL Draft Lottery and earned the right to select Connor Bedard. Chicago only had an 11.5% chance of winning.

Former Detroit Hockey Now writer Nate Brown, now Chicago Hockey Now’s new editor, writes that Chicago is exhilarated by winning the Bedard Sweepstakes. 

This has the potential to help the franchise like adding Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews did in 2006 and 2007.  You have to say potential because Toews and Kane and led Chicago to three Stanley Cups. The Blackhawks are still a long way from that level of success.

Meanwhile, after the draft, TSN draft expert Craig Button did his annual post NHL Draft Lottery Mock Draft. He has the Red Wings selecting Colby Barlow with the No. 9 pick. The 6-foot, 190-pound left wing scored 46 goals and registered 79 points in 59 games for the Owen Sound Attack of the Ontario Hockey League.

Red Wings’ Offseason

Sebastian Cossa, the Red Wings’ top goaltending prospect, is expected to be in net Wednesday when the Toledo Walleye are home to face the Cincinnati Cyclones in Game 3 of their second round playoff series. The Walleye own a 2-0 lead.

Red Wings In Case You Missed It

• Red Wings still have no luck when it comes to the NHL Draft Lottery. They stay at No. 9.
•  The Red Wings‘ next step is to find a higher degree of consistency in the 2023-24 seasons.
• Jonatan Berggren finally received his chance to play for the Swedish National Team.
• Former Detroit Red Wings player Vic Stasiuk, who played on three Detroit Stanley Cup teams in the 1950s, died. He was 93.

Hockey Now Network

Boston: Linus Ullmark offers a ringing endorsement of  coach Jim Montgomery’s work this season. Boston Bruins.

Buffalo: The Jack Eichel vs. Connor McDavid rivalry never developed in Buffalo, but it could happen now that he is with Vegas. He had three points in Game 3. Buffalo Sabres.

Colorado: Who are the free agents the Colorado Avalanche want to keep? Evan Rodrigues could be among the departing players. Colorado Avalanche. 

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Florida: You didn’t see this coming: the Florida Panthers are now the Stanley Cup betting favorites. Florida Panthers. 

Philadelphia: PHN’s new writer Chuck Bausman provides the Flyers’ take on the NHL Draft Lottery happenings. Philadelphia Flyers. 

Pittsburgh: You didn’t really expect the Penguins to win the NHL Draft Lottery? They probably used up all of their luck by getting Crosby. Pittsburgh Penguins. 

Vegas:  Jack Eichel stepped up in an important game.  It a convincing triumph for the  Vegas Golden Knights