Connor Bedard, Leo Carlsson or Adam Fantilli? Who will have the bigger impact next season?

The first round of the 2023 NHL Draft went down on Wednesday and the first three picks are all players scouts were high on and believe will be All-Stars.

With the first pick, the Chicago Blackhawks drafted Connor Bedard while the Anaheim Ducks followed that up by selecting Leo Carlsson. Rounding out the top three was the Columbus Blue Jackets who selected Adam Fantilli.

All three players are centers and have promising careers ahead, but who will have the bigger impact right away?

Connor Bedard poised to win Rookie of the Year

Connor Bedard was drafted first overall for a reason and he will have the biggest impact next year in the NHL. Bedard is the only lock to play in the NHL next season as Leo Carlsson may remain in Sweden and Adam Fantilli may go back to Michigan and play another year of college hockey.

"I think I'll make that decision when it comes and whatever the [NHL] team says and whatever my close circle around me says," Fantilli said before the draft. "I'll take their advice and make a decision at the end of the day, but we haven't really gotten there yet...

"I feel like I really can't really go wrong. Michigan is an amazing place, and obviously, the NHL is where you want to be, it's where you grew up wanting to play your entire life. So, it's a big decision. There's pros to both sides."

With Fantilli uncertain if he will play in the NHL season next year, it then comes down to Connor Bedard or Leo Carlsson. Ultimately, Bedard can create his own offense and will be to score his own goals while Carlsson is more of a playmaker and needs players around him to find success.

With the Ducks, Carlsson will also likely be slowly brought along and won't be on the top line. Bedard, meanwhile, will be on the first line with the Blackhawks and will play with Taylor Hall who has won an MVP before, so he has players around him.

Chicago, meanwhile, already is excited to get Bedard in the building and believes he will help its offense a ton next year.

"When you're building a team and obviously first overall is a place where you hope you can get that and I feel like we've got a player in Connor that has every chance to be that type of player for us," general manager Kyle Davidson said.

Ultimately, if people had to bet right now, it seems likely Connor Bedard will win Rookie of the Year and have the biggest success next season.