Over the last six weeks, dating back to the NHL combine in early June, the Blackhawks and Connor Bedard went back and forth on contract negotiations.
Bedard’s agent, Don Meehan, laid out the process to the Sun-Times on Saturday, shortly after Bedard signed a five-year deal carrying a $15 million salary-cap hit.
“We had a long discussion about term,” Meehan said. “There were many variables that we considered. A shorter-term deal would’ve put in Connor in absolute control — if it were, for example, a three-year deal — in terms of the current economic climate.
“But Chicago explained, from their point of view, that what was important to them was continuity and stability. [General manager Kyle Davidson] indicated they wanted to send a signal internally and externally. If Connor was there for a considerable period of time, [that would] provide the stability and continuity the organization looked for, and that was met with Connor’s approval.”
Meehan confirmed the Hawks initially pushed for an even longer deal, but five years was determined to be a fair compromise given how little is known about what stars’ salaries will look like in 2031.
“We know the cap is changing,” Meehan said. “People are suggesting there might be an 8% increase every year. Whether that’s accurate or not, it leads all of us to believe the marketplace is changing dramatically. In that respect, both sides wanted to be in a position where nobody’s side was being distorted one way or another.
“I know that was particularly sensitive from Connor’s point of view. I think Chicago understood that, and…[they were] happy that at least we were talking a five-year deal as opposed to something less.”
A month into Bedard’s negotiations, Ducks forward Leo Carlsson’s record-setting offer sheet — carrying an $18 million cap hit — sent tremors through the league.
And Carlsson’s agent, Matt Keator, later told Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman they had been waiting for Bedard to set the market for restricted free agents before the Flyers approached. But the same wasn’t true on the opposite side.
“We understood that Connor had a very great presence in Chicago, both on the ice statistically and off the ice dramatically in terms of the economic impact on the franchise,” Meehan said. “We weren’t waiting for anybody else.”
Following the offer sheet, Bedard’s camp decided not to fluctuate from the position they had already set, which meant Bedard’s contract ultimately came in $3 million per year below Carlsson’s.
Meehan said Bedard, who will personally speak to reporters Monday, hopes the contract sends a strong message affirming his commitment to the Hawks.
“[He] believes in the direction of the team, really believes in his teammates and doesn’t accept well any kind of criticism of the organization or his teammates or anything,” Meehan said.
Shoulder surgery
The left shoulder injury Bedard suffered while skating July 2 in Vancouver also threw a wrench into his eventful offseason.
Bedard first traveled to Chicago to get an MRI on his left shoulder from Dr. Michael Terry, the Hawks’ team physician, and then traveled to Vail, Colorado, to get a second opinion from Dr. Peter Millett.
Millett determined there was “a touch more damage” to Bedard’s left shoulder from this accident than there had been to his right shoulder last December, Meehan said. Millett and Terry both suggested surgery, which Bedard decided to undertake, sidelining him for an estimated four months.
“I don’t think there were any regrets [about not getting surgery last year], because he came back stronger than ever and felt he wasn’t being affected in any negative way,” Meehan said. “But I think he was cautious in relation to Dr. Terry and Dr. Millett’s suggestions.
“The fear in Connor’s mind…was if he attempted to rehab and felt the shoulder was still unstable, it really would have been lost time, so to speak.”
Meehan said doctors believe the two shoulder injuries in an eight-month span to be coincidental. They have “no concerns” about his ability to make a full recovery.
And the four-month recovery timeline is estimated for a reason.
“As I said to Kyle, ‘You better be prepared. After three and a half months, he’ll be in your office, and he’s not going to be a very positive guy if you don’t give him clearance to play. He’ll be miserable to live with,'” Meehan said. “[Kyle] laughed and said, ‘I understand that all too well. I remember the jaw [injury].’
“[Connor is] absolutely determined. He’s been talking about a very aggressive form of rehab. There’s no reservations about him being totally committed to…being back as soon as possible.”