It has been three weeks since the Chicago Blackhawks drafted Connor Bedard with the No. 1 pick, and fans can take a look at the private moments he shared with his family before one of the biggest milestones of his life.
NHL Productions’ cameras went behind the scenes at last month’s draft in Nashville, Tenn., to follow Bedard, Oliver Moore — taken at No. 19 by the Hawks — and five other picks.
“Two, three hours away to Day 1″ of his NHL journey, Bedard says in a trailer shared with media. “It doesn’t feel real at all.”
“Welcome to the NHL: Nashville 2023″ premieres at 4 p.m. CDT Friday on ESPN+ and at 6 p.m. on NHL Network, then later on YouTube and NHL.com.
Other prospects featured are Adam Fantilli (drafted at No. 3 by the Columbus Blue Jackets), William Smith (No. 4, San Jose Sharks), Oliver Bonk (No. 22, Philadelphia Flyers), Carey Terrance (No. 59, Anaheim Ducks) and Jacob Fowler (No. 69, Montreal Canadiens).
In the clip of Bedard, he and his family show poker chips symbolizing his late grandfather, Garth Bedard, who was killed in a head-on collision near Sicamous, British Columbia, on April 6, 2021.
“My father-in-law, he was killed by an impaired driver when Connor was in the (Western Hockey League) bubble,” says Melanie Bedard, Connor’s mother. “They loved playing cards together all the time. It’s what he did with all his grandkids.
“So we have him here,” she says, holding up a poker chip.
“He was here with us last time in Nashville,” Connor recalls, flashing a big grin. “He got ID’d for a beer. He’s 70.”
