Blackhawks Sold over $2.5M of Season Tickets After Winning Connor Bedard Sweepstakes

Connor Bedard won't be a Chicago Blackhawk for another six weeks, but the franchise is already feeling his impact.

Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times reported the Blackhawks sold $2.5 million worth of season-ticket packages within 90 minutes of winning the 2023 NHL draft lottery Monday night.

It's widely presumed Chicago will use the No. 1 overall pick on Bedard, one of the most hyped prospects in hockey history.

"There's a bit of buzz, and for me, it's kind of crazy to see some of the things and people I've been compared to," Bedard said, per Emily Kaplan of ESPN. "It's a lot different getting recognized out and about. It's something I'm getting used to. It's super cool feeling the support. But you know ... I'm still a kid."

The Blackhawks have had the top overall selection just twice in franchise history. The most recent time came when they took Patrick Kane in 2007. Kane's 15-year career in Chicago ended in February when he was traded to the New York Rangers—a move that in a sense paved the way for Bedard to take the torch of the franchise.

Chicago has reached the playoffs only once in the last six seasons, and that came during the COVID-19-shortened 2019-20 campaign when they won a qualifying round before being eliminated in the first round of the playoffs.

Bedard's arrival is expected to turn around the fortunes of one of the league's most storied franchises. No pressure or anything.