Dansby Swanson glanced on the video board Monday evening at Wrigley Field as Chicago Cubs followers started cheering a PA announcement.
The Blackhawks had gained the draft lottery to safe the highest choose within the NHL draft, which means wunderkind Connor Bedard, a so-called “generational talent,” doubtless can be coming to Chicago.
Being the highest choose of any draft places you in an unique membership. Swanson earned that honor in 2015 when the Arizona Diamondbacks chosen him No. 1 in baseball’s beginner draft, so the Cubs shortstop is aware of that dwelling as much as the hype isn’t simple.
“No. 1 picks always are associated with a certain type of performance level that is expected, right?” Swanson mentioned Tuesday at Wrigley. “I feel like a lot of that pressure comes from the outside in. It’s more of a challenge of just learning to manage the outside voices. Whoever this is that’s going to be drafted first … ”
Uh, Bedard. Or so we assume.
“Is that who it is?” he requested.
Forgive Swanson for not realizing the identify of the presumptive prime choose of the Blackhawks. He grew up in Georgia and had some expertise following the Nashville Predators when he went to school at Vanderbilt.
“How old is he?” Swanson requested. “Twenty? Twenty-one? Eighteen?”
Uh, 17.
“Exactly,” he mentioned. “Obviously the Hawks have an outstanding tradition. When I was in college the Preds and the Blackhawks had a pretty big rivalry, and they’d always match up in the playoffs at some point. Obviously there are going to be some expectations.”
That’s an understatement.
Bedard already has been touted because the face of the franchise, and the Hawks mentioned Tuesday that because the information they already offered $5.2-million price of season and half-season ticket plans for 2023-24 after ending with the third worst file within the league.
EA Sports NHL tweeted {that a} online game simulation of Bedard’s profession resulted in 739 targets, 1,145 assists, 4 MVP trophies and three Stanley Cups, amongst different awards.
Blackhawks normal supervisor Kyle Davidson wouldn’t reveal his hand relating to the highest choose. We’ll in all probability have to attend till June 28 when the primary spherical of draft takes place in Nashville, Tenn. But relaxation assured he who shall not be named goes to be the Hawks’ choose, and the advertising division already has begun spitballing its plans for the promotion of the child.
Swanson was thrilled to be the primary choose practically eight years in the past and was one of many final picks to signal. Diamondbacks chief baseball officer Tony La Russa had traveled to Swanson’s hometown of Marietta, Ga., to seal the contract.
“Being No. 1 is the best position you can be in,” Swanson mentioned upon signing for a $6.5 million bonus. “It’s kind of hard to improve on that.”
But Swanson’s path zigzagged when La Russa and Diamondbacks normal supervisor Dave Stewart determined that winter to make him the centerpiece of a surprising deal that despatched him to the Atlanta Braves for Shelby Miller. It was extensively criticized on the time and ultimately would go down as one of many worst trades in Diamondbacks historical past.
La Russa later defended the deal in an interview with the Arizona Republic.
“How many front offices, if you polled the other 29, how many would have questioned it or said it was a bad deal?” La Russa mentioned. “At the identical time that we had been listening to the criticisms, I used to be additionally listening to from folks that I knew personally saying, ‘Hey, man, we know where you were coming from. We were interested in Shelby as well.’
“I would always like to know who criticizes it. There are some people that I have a ton of respect for and there are others I don’t have the same level of respect. If it’s somebody I have big levels of respect, then I would be bothered. If it’s not, then I’m not.”
Stewart was gone after two seasons, and La Russa left a yr later. Swanson emerged because the Braves on a regular basis shortstop by 2017 and helped make them a World Series title in 2021. Last fall he signed a seven-year, $177 million cope with the Cubs.
Bedard gained’t should observe the identical path and will count on to be a Blackhawk for years. He’ll little question draw comparisons to Patrick Kane, the group’s final No. 1 choose in 2007, who lived as much as the hype and gained three Cups with the Hawks earlier than being dealt to the New York Rangers at this yr’s commerce deadline.
If Bedard can observe in Kane’s footsteps, with out the missteps, he may turn out to be some of the standard athletes in Chicago historical past. That’s asking so much from somebody who turns 18 on July 17.
But that’s simply the best way it’s. Bedard has exceeded the hype that put him in place to be the No. 1 choose and appears ready to cope with no matter comes his manner.
“The thing I will say about hockey, from the most of the hockey guys I’ve been around, is they’re all pretty down-to-earth guys in general,” Swanson mentioned. “There’s a little different type of mentality and environment, so that usually helps, being surrounded by that kind of culture.”
Swanson’s recommendation for he who shall not be named is to observe your instincts and shut out the noise.
“Obviously there are going to be some expectations, but No. 1 is to control what you can control,” Swanson mentioned. “That’s the straightforward one. I’ve discovered numerous it in my (being grounded) and my religion. That’s the place I flip to as a substitute of everybody labeling me ‘this.’ That’s not who I’m. That’s simply a part of my journey.
“So that’s a pretty substantial piece of advice I’d give to anybody in that position.”
Swanson is aware of that each prime choose of any sport has totally different obstacles, and a few don’t make it. He has had his share as nicely however eight years later can already say that he has completed among the targets he set out for himself.
“It’s your own journey, your own path,” he mentioned. “Everyone has a different way of going about it. Some have it smooth, some have it tough. Some have it smooth, then tough and then smooth.”
And yours?
“Mine has been a steady incline,” he mentioned. “Which is how I like it.”
The Hawks gladly would accept that when you realize who arrives.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com