The Chicago Blackhawks are now led by former 2023 first overall selection Connor Bedard, whom they hope will eventually be the one to bring them back to the promised land of Stanley Cup contention.
Right now, Bedard is in the midst of offseason training in Vancouver, and the club is also working to try and get him signed to a new contract after his entry-level deal came to a close.
However, fans of the Blackhawks everywhere are now holding their collective breaths after a brutal update.
Chicago Blackhawks Forward Connor Bedard Reportedly Was Hurt During Offseason Training
Bedard, who could soon become the highest-paid Blackhawks player, was reportedly injured during a recent offseason training session in Vancouver.
The news was reported by Blackhawks Insider Ryan McGregor:
“BREAKING: Connor Bedard left practice today after falling awkwardly on his left shoulder,” he wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “Note: The way he skated off the ice holding his arm closely resembled the incident in December. Severity unknown at this point.”
Whether or not this has an impact on Bedard’s contract negotiations remains to be seen.
Chicago made its biggest offseason move by locking up defenseman Bowen Byram to a six-year, $75 million contract after acquiring him from the Buffalo Sabres just over a week earlier. GM Kyle Davidson also added veteran blueliner Ian Cole on a one-year deal worth $4 million and signed forward Cole Smith to a three-year, $9 million contract.
However, he knows there is still work to do with regard to Bedard’s next deal.
“I believe we’ve filled some spots we wanted to shore up while leaving runway for some young players to continue their development and growth into roles that they’ve already started to mature into,” Davidson said. “At the same time, we’re going to keep looking into what’s available to us and making sure we’re leaving no stone unturned and try to maximize our roster potential going into the season.”
“There are young pieces and players that we truly do believe in that we think can be serious impact contributors in the NHL and for us,” Davidson said. “So, we’re excited to see them continue to grow and, in some cases, get their first NHL experience. Then also, the additions we’ve made will be impactful ones. So, it’s an exciting time.”
Connor Bedard Missed 12 Games Last Season With A Shoulder Injury
During Bedard’s initial absence last season, the Blackhawks amassed a 1-6-1 record, showing just how valuable he is to their success.
“The reason why I know he’s a big-time winning hockey player: when he was in our lineup, we were one point out of the Wild Card,” Blackhawks head coach Jeff Blashill explained in January. “Since then, we’re 1-6-1. That’s the impact he’s had. You don’t have that impact if you’re just a point-getter. You only have that impact if you’re a true two-way kind of winning player, and that’s what he’s become.”
Blashill also didn’t like that Bedard was snubbed from the Team Canada roster for the 2026 Milan Winter Olympics.
“I don’t think the rest of the league knows how good of a two-way, winning hockey player Connor has become,” Blashill said. “I don’t think they have a full understanding of how good a winning hockey player he is today.”
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