Connor Bedard is as sure a No. 1 overall pick as there has been in years, with the Chicago Blackhawks all but certain to take him at the top of the NHL draft on June 28.

Early comparisons and questions of his ability to live up to the hype headline recent reports, while intrigue reigns regarding the Montreal Canadiens' eagerness to move up in the draft order to select the young player expected to come off the board just after Bedard.

Dive deeper into the latest buzz with this collection of insider reports.

Is Bedard an Auston Matthews-level Player...

Connor Bedard has been the consensus No. 1 overall pick right from the start.

The 17-year-old is a player most believe can help lead the Chicago Blackhawks back to playoff contention on day one, something that has eluded the franchise in recent years.

His ability to handle the puck, rush the net and shoot has impressed scouts and drawn NHL insiders to compare him to one of hockey's biggest stars: Toronto's Auston Matthews.

Corey Pronman of The Athletic wrote: "I may have him over Matthews at the same age, but it's closer to that than someone like [Connor] McDavid mostly because I'm worried Bedard may end up a wing at some point."

All Matthews did was tie the record for most goals scored in an NHL debut (four), score the most goals for an American-born rookie (40) and accumulate the most points for a rookie (69).

He has won the Calder Trophy, the Hart Trophy and the Rocket Richard Award, and he is a six-time NHL All-Star.

There were monumental expectations for Matthews and though the Stanley Cup eludes him and the Maple Leafs, he has more than lived up to them in one of the toughest hockey cities in the world.

Those expectations await Bedard in an equally tough market, so if the Canadian ends up resembling Matthews, the Blackhawks are in for a treat.

Still, there are some who are more cautious in their outlook for Bedard.

...or Is He Overhyped?

In the same report by Pronman, another NHL executive suggests Bedard is being overhyped:

"I worry the hype on him is getting a little out of control. He's No. 1, he's the guy, amazing player, but I'm not sure I'm projecting him to be like an immediate top 5-10 player in the league or something. He's not [Connor] McDavid. I still think you're getting someone who could have a Patrick Kane-type of career though if he hits."

It is a valid concern if for no other reason than the wealth of great players in the NHL.

Expecting the teenager to instantly be one of the elite competitors in the league, no matter how good he has been or how much attention he has attracted, would be asinine.

There is an adjustment to be made and to assume everyone is going to be McDavid or Matthews is only setting oneself up for disappointment and the player in question up for failure.

McDavid is a generational talent, no matter the strength of the draft class. He has led the NHL in points five times, is a two-time MVP recipient of the Hart Trophy, and he was the most outstanding regular-season player in the league three times.

He is the standard-bearer for greatness in the NHL. Even suggesting Bedard can provide a fraction of what McDavid has for Edmonton would be reckless. Comparing him to Patrick Kane is risky given everything he meant to the Blackhawks during their three Cup wins.

Perhaps letting him be the first Bedard, with lightning-quick speed and an ability to throw his whole body behind each of his shots, is best for the Blackhawks and the player himself.

Let the teenager do what he does without instantly placing him in the shadows of bigger names.

Canadiens Eyeing Adam Fantilli in Attempt to Move Up in Draft

The Montreal Canadiens are attempting to move up in this year's draft, with an eye on one of the great young talents available, according to Arpon Basu of The Athletic:

"We can also confirm a report from Radio-Canada colleague Alexandre Gascon on Wednesday morning that the Canadiens are trying everything they can to move up in the draft. The report cites their efforts to swap picks with the San Jose Sharks at No. 4, but the Canadiens have also contacted the Anaheim Ducks to see what it would take to move up to No. 2."

The move would be done with a specific player in mind: center Adam Fantilli.

The 18-year-old is a fast, attacking center with an eye for the net. Already having excelled in international play as part of Team Canada, facing the best the NHL has to offer is not daunting.

Fantilli is the consensus No. 2 in this draft and someone the Anaheim Ducks would likely love to have on their roster, meaning the Canadiens would be faced with a scenario in which they would have to give up considerable compensation to even sniff that second spot.

"The cost would likely be astronomical to get from No. 5 to No. 2, but when a player like Adam Fantilli is available, doing your due diligence to determine that cost is a necessity," Basu wrote. "The chances of a trade up materializing remain very slim, but the Canadiens are definitely trying."

The Habs have the prospects to at least start the conversation, but the idea of them being able to put together a package that would entice the Ducks to move from that coveted No. 2 positon to fifth, without a star player who can benefit the team right away, seems far-fetched.

Fantilli is going to make one team very happy, and hopefully fuel some championship pushes, but it is more likely to be Anaheim than Montreal, no matter how hard the Canadiens are pushing to make the hypothetical move a reality.