Should Chicago's NHL team have first draft pick after its handling of sex assault scandal?

Chicago's NHL team is celebrating its lucky draw, winning the first overall draft pick on Monday and (presumably) snatching up the league's most sought-after rising star, Canadian 17-year-old Connor Bedard. 

The moment not only boosted one of the league's original franchises, but brought in more than $5.2 million US in season ticket plan sales in the first 12 hours after the pick — almost half of it within 90 minutes — according to The Chicago Sun-Times. 

Hockey fans were quick to point out that that sum is more than the $2 million US fine the team was required to pay the NHL following the 2021 settlement over its handling of former player Kyle Beach's sexual assault accusations against a former team coach.

There was also criticism of Chicago not having to forfeit its first draft pick when other teams — such as the Arizona Coyotes and the New Jersey Devils — faced that penalty in the past for running afoul of league protocols. 

Blackhawks shouldn’t even have had a first round pick. They should have had to forfeit some picks as a penalty for how they handled the Kyle beach situation. What a joke the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/nhl?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#nhl</a> is!!

Just a reminder that the Arizona Coyotes were penalized more for breaking the NHL's Combine Testing Policy than the Blackhawks were for covering up sexual assault. <br><br>The Yotes had to give up their 1st in the 2021 draft. The Blackhawks just secured Connor Bedard.

The sport itself has lately been facing a reckoning — on various levels, not just in professional leagues — over allegations of sexual assault against Canadian junior hockey players, discriminatory behaviour on the ice, bullying and harassment and an overall toxic culture. 

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