Connor Bedard got a massive payday Saturday from the Blackhawks while setting himself up for a possibly gargantuan one in 2031.
The Hawks’ franchise cornerstone forward signed a new five-year contract that carries a $15 million salary-cap hit, ending his nearly three-week run as a restricted free agent.
The Hawks presumably pushed for an eight-year maximum-length contract, but the shorter term does help keep the cap hit semi-reasonable compared to Ducks star Leo Carlsson’s new $18 million cap hit.
However, Bedard, who just turned 21 on Friday, is now slated to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the contract, when he’ll be in the prime of his career and the NHL salary cap will be even higher than it already is.
“Connor has continuously defied our expectations since being drafted, and [he] has quickly established himself as an elite player in the NHL,” Hawks general manager Kyle Davidson said in a statement.
“He utilizes all aspects of his game to not only be a constant threat but [also] 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.”
Bedard receives a $9.8 million signing bonus right away and in every subsequent year of the contract, per PuckPedia, in a nod to his jersey number, No. 98. He will also wield a full no-movement clause in 2030-31, the fifth and final year.
The Hawks will have to figure out a way to re-sign Bedard again around that time — and it might be even more difficult to do so — but that’s a problem for another day. They’ll also have to build a competitive team around Bedard’s huge cap hit, but that also isn’t an imminent issue — and it might never become a major issue, given how quickly the cap is rising.
The most important thing for the Hawks was to lock up the centerpiece of their new generation without a holdout — or the worst-case scenario of an offer sheet, which seemed like a genuine concern in the wake of Carlsson’s offer sheet with the Flyers (which the Ducks eventually matched).
For Davidson, that crucial to-do item has now been checked off. For Bedard, the signing follows through on his repeated verbal commitments to the Hawks, whose long-term plan he has publicly and privately expressed steadfast confidence in — despite plenty of outside skepticism and criticism.
“I have so much faith in the management, the coaching and also our players,” Bedard said in April. “We get to see [in] each other every day how we approach the game, how guys practice, how much skill there is.
“I would go to bat for any single guy in that room and argue they’re going to reach their full potential because of the mindset and work ethic we have in our group. I can’t be more confident that we’re going to get to where we want to get to. It’s going to be a fun journey.”
Bedard, for now, is slated to be the league’s third-highest paid player in 2026-27, behind Carlsson and Wild forward Kirill Kaprizov, but several other stars on expired or soon-to-expire contracts will soon pass him. That’s the way things are going.
Bedard’s first three Hawks seasons have been remarkably similar to Patrick Kane’s first three seasons. Bedard has 203 points in his first 219 games; Kane also tallied 203 points in his first 219 games.
Bedard has now also followed in Kane’s footsteps with the bridge-deal concept coming off his entry-level contract. Kane signed for five years at $6.3 million per year starting in 2010-11, then cashed in with an eight-year deal at $10.5 million per year starting in 2015-16.
Bedard’s big step forward in 2025-26 squashed any concerns about him not trending toward his elite ceiling as he reached the 30-goal and 75-point marks in 69 games.
He tied for 20th in the NHL in points per game and likely would’ve ranked higher if not for an injury-hampered January. He also likely would’ve ranked higher if he had any sort of quality linemates, which he theoretically should gain during the course of this new contract.
Bedard won’t be able to start this coming season on time, though, after undergoing left shoulder surgery following a fluky injury while skating in his hometown of Vancouver earlier this month. He’s slated to return in early to mid-November, likely missing the first 15-20 games of the season.
Kane, coincidentally, is back on the Hawks’ radar now as a free agent. He could come full circle to be one of Bedard’s wingers this season, with Chris Chelios telling 670 The Score last week that Kane told him he’s currently deciding between contract offers from the Hawks and Sabres.
That’s one more notable piece of business for Davidson to figure out, as are contracts for Kevin Korchinski and Ethan Del Mastro — the Hawks’ last two restricted free agents.
And come September, even with Bedard injured, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him named Hawks captain. This relatively long-term contract marked the last prerequisite for that title to be wisely bestowed upon him.
“[With] how tight our room is, how close everyone is off the ice, it makes it so easy for anyone to be in that role,” Bedard said in April. “If I did get the ‘C,’ I’m not going to change who I am and become something different just because of that letter.
“It’s an added responsibility that I do think I would be ready for. A lot of guys could be ready for it in that room. But it would be a special honor, for sure.”