I was just scrolling through YouTube when I saw a very clickbait-y video suggesting that the Habs might trade Suzuki and Caufield for the Bedard pick. Didn’t watch it cause don’t care, but that got me thinking (never good btw). For the sake of the hypothetical scenario, let’s say none of the current NHL teams win the 2023 draft lottery. Instead, a mystery 33rd team called the Chaos Rioteers wins the draft lottery to select 1OA and pick Bedard, but instead they want to trade the pick and cause maximum chaos. What package do you think your favorite team would be willing to give up to beat out every other team in the league wide bidding war in order to select Bedard?

if i'm the canadiens, suzuki doesnt go because he's the captain, but if we want to make an offer that WILL beat out all/most teams, caufield + slafkovsky + 5OA will have to be it
(which makes no sense to do, for the record)

Almost guaranteed it won’t be traded.

Not enough + suzuki sucks. Only team that can make a really tempting offer is NJD

If it was I believe the Canucks would trade Pettersson hughes and demko

Bedard’s price tag is too high for any team to stomach. It would absolutely gut whatever team tries to trade for him. Suzuki and Caufield wouldn’t even come close. They’d have to add their 5th overall pick. It’s simply not worth it

Most teams could make a tempting offer if they offered all their top young players and picks but it would make no sense to do so.

True but NJD could make an offer and still be competitive even if CB doesnt play right away

Only problem is that they have no 2023 first. I’d imagine it would cost at minimum both Hughes brothers which is way too much to give up

I mean, simply put, the cost to acquire Bedard would be too high, Montreal could offer something like 5 OA + Panthers 1st + Jordan Harris ( or insert someone like Guhle, Hutson, whoever you feel works best ) but I don’t think a team takes that and it makes no sense for Montreal to add a Suzuki, Caufield or Slafkovsky to this package

A Choco Taco

But in all seriousness a lot more than most teams will want to even start with

A first rounder for every year on average a player like Bedard comes up in the draft.

Last comparable was McDavid and before that Crosby, so 10 first round picks.

Both Hughes Brothers?!?!

Bedard is a great prospect and has very good chance of being as good as Jack Hughes. Both with similarly impressive pre-draft resumes.

But Jack has already proven himself…Bedard has not, so Jack has significantly more value. Bedard + Luke Hughes for Jack Hughes is probably more realistic on player values.

Tip-toed around the G-word

Remember the rules on when that term, “generational” is allowed: it only applies to Canadian forwards out of CHL (that actually work out).

It doesn’t apply to American guys (like Hughes, Matthews, Kane).

It doesn’t apply to Europeans (like Ovechkin)

It doesn’t apply to dmen or goalies.

It doesn’t apply to guys we called “generational” at one point, but turned out not to be (Lafreniere, Tavares)

It doesn’t apply to guys that we once called “generational” but failed to go 1oa (Wright, Patrick)

You’re right it’s absolutely not worth it, but I’d imagine any team willing to part ways with Bedard is definitely going to ask for a mountain

I’d say Bedard is a generational prospect. Haven’t seen somebody like him since McDavid and McDavid turned out pretty all right. Sure every prospect can bust but when his ceiling is McDavid level, you best bet he will cost a lot

Didn't say generational because the term seems to describe every time there's a unanimous first overall.

The reason it gets tagged onto Canadian CHL forwards because the CHL is under a lot of scrutiny and forwards are more likely to make an impact to their draft team immediately. Coverage on American and European prospects has improved over the past several years as well; if you moved the 2004 and 2007 drafts to today, Ovechkin and Kane would 100% be called generational.

I agree Bedard is an elite prospect. He may be "generational" (I dislike the term, but different point).

-- John Tavares was called generational for a good two years before his draft.
-- Nolan Patrick was called generational after 2016 playoffs.
-- Alexis Lafreniere was called generational for nearly two years as well.
-- Shane Wright was called generational from the exceptional status designation until Fall of 2021.

So being a "generational" still is no guarantee. Still got about 50/50 hit rate.

(its also basically just a silly, mostly meaningless, debate about terminology)

The reason it gets tagged onto Canadian CHL forwards is because most of the draft-observing hockey media are Canadians who follow Canadian junior hockey....and that Canadian junior has a longer track record so its easier to compare apples-to-apples over the years. Not much to do with scrutiny on the players.

You’re right that generational is used too loosely, however Bedard is one of the few who are legit generational. Putting up numbers like McDavid did.