Overheard at the NHL draft: Bedard predictions, Cup picks

The 2023 NHL draft was a pivotal moment for the Chicago Blackhawks — who selected Connor Bedard No. 1 overall — but the action wasn’t limited to the coronation of a new face of the franchise for Chicago.

Each team made improvements in one way or another during the course of the week, whether by using picks, trading them, or making player-for-player trades.

But in addition to all of the transactions, every NHL team also had its front-office staff on hand for the event, and our NHL reporting crew was there to get details on many topics: Rising Stanley Cup contenders for 2023-24, coaches on the hot seat, predictions for the Bedard-enhanced Blackhawks in Year 1, and much more.

Here are Ryan S. Clark, Kristen Shilton and Greg Wyshynski with the all the details from conversations with execs during a busy week in Nashville:

More: Free agency grades
Free agency tracker
Team-by-team guides
Draft recap: Every pick | Winners, losers