Number One NHL Draft Picks Face for First Time

An upcoming contest between the Chicago Blackhawks and San Jose Sharks will be the first meeting for the past two number one draft picks.

Mar 7, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard (98) celebrates after scoring the winning goal during the overtime period at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images / Matt Marton-Imagn Images

The upcoming matchup between the Chicago Blackhawks and San Jose Sharks marks the first time the last two number one picks will face each other in the NHL. Sharks phenom Macklin Celebrini will go up against second-year star Connor Bedard and the Blackhawks.

It will be the first time these two young players meet, but for the anchors of the Blackhawks and Sharks, this is far from their first meeting on the ice. The two Canadian teenagers battled throughout their days in amateur hockey and now get the chance to do so at the highest level. In anticipation of this contest, Celebrini gave high praise to Bedard.

"He’s always been a superstar,” he said. “Whenever we were younger, he’s always been the kid you see now. I think it’s just flourished and kind of grown from there.”

The duo both hail from North Vancouver, a city with a population of less than 60,000 people. That's why they know each other's game so well and why Bedard was just as complimentary of Celebrini heading into this matchup.

"You can talk about his shot, his skills, his IQ, it’s all unbelievable," he said. "But that’s something that people might not notice as much is how hard he is on pucks. He’s always getting in the way and creating stuff off the puck, so that’s really impressive."

So far, the young stars are making their organizations and hometown proud. Celebrini is in contention for the Calder Trophy as the league's top rookie, an award Bedard captured last season with the Blackhawks. In his sophomore season, he's up to 52 points in 65 games and in line to increase his offensive production across multiple categories.

The next wave of NHL superstars is on display when the Blackhawks and Sharks meet. With the most recent first-overall draft picks leading the way, this should be a memorable matchup between two up and coming organizations.

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