Any doubt of Connor Bedard remaining with the Chicago Blackhawks beyond his entry-level contract were put to rest last month when he agreed to sign a five-year contract with a $15 million salary cap hit.
Bedard now has the highest salary cap hit of any player in Blackhawks history, and he’s become the face of the franchise that selected him with the first overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft after winning the Draft Lottery.
However, it was a strong connection with his parents that helped make his inevitable path to the NHL a reality.
Chicago Blackhawks Star Connor Bedard’s Mother Shares Touching Story From His Youth
Bedard, who grew up playing hockey as a youth thanks to the support from his parents, continues his strong connection with them today.
Bedard’s mother Melanie recently recounted how she and her husband Tom prioritized their parental relationship with Connor over his hockey career:
“Tom never critiqued Connor,” she said. “They talk about things, because Connor is his biggest critic. And I’m so grateful for their relationship, because what I’ve seen, and a big part of why I wanted to step away, was I would look at these dynamics … Connor would say some of his teammates would be crying because they didn’t want to go on the car ride with their dad, with their parents.”
She continued:
“And I thought, all these people in this machine, you are losing sight of the most important thing: your relation. Because even if they are the next Crosby, they’ll probably be done in their 30s and you’ve damaged that relationship that you could have had the rest of your life. Like, you’re gonna make everything in your world with your child about whether they scored a goal or not? That always was strange to me in that world.”
So far in his NHL career, Bedard has appeared in 219 games, and scored 75 goals with 128 assists. He’s yet to appear in a Stanley Cup Playoff game, a trend the club hopes will reverse soon.
Connor Bedard Signed A Five-Year Contract Extension With A $15 Million Salary Cap Hit
Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson, who took over from Stan Bowman in 2021 and has been tasked with overseeing Chicago’s lengthy rebuilding process, said that Bedard has exceeded all expectations since he was selected.
“Connor has continuously defied our expectations since being drafted, and has quickly established himself as an elite player in the NHL,” Davidson said. “He utilizes all aspects of his game to not only be a constant threat, but to make the players around him better every time he steps on the ice. Connor’s strong work ethic and determination to always improve his game has set an extraordinary standard for our young core, and we’re excited for the incredible impact he’ll have in this next chapter of Blackhawks hockey.”
However, Bedard is going to miss at least the first month of the upcoming season after he suffered an injury during a training session near his native Vancouver. He underwent surgery and is expected to make a successful recovery.
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