Chicago has secured a significant offseason objective by agreeing to a five-year, $75 million contract with star player Connor Bedard. The Blackhawks announced the deal on Saturday, solidifying Bedard’s place as a central figure in the team’s ongoing rebuilding efforts. Bedard, who turned 21 on Friday, was previously a restricted free agent.
General Manager Kyle Davidson commented on the signing, stating that Bedard has consistently exceeded expectations since being drafted and has rapidly established himself as an elite player in the NHL. Davidson highlighted Bedard’s ability to be a constant threat and to elevate the performance of his teammates. He also praised Bedard’s strong work ethic and continuous drive to improve, which has set a high standard for the team’s young core.
The contract was finalized 10 days after Bedard underwent surgery on his left shoulder. He sustained the injury while skating with a group of NHL players in western Canada and is expected to miss the beginning of the upcoming season. This injury is anticipated to sideline him for a period of four months, potentially causing him to miss between 18 and 25 games.
Bedard’s impact and performance
Bedard has been a pivotal player for the Blackhawks since he was selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 draft. He made his highly anticipated NHL debut that October and was awarded the Calder Trophy as the league’s rookie of the year.
In his second season, Bedard recorded 23 goals and 44 assists, participating in all 82 games. He continued to demonstrate steady improvement in his most recent season, achieving career highs with 30 goals and 45 assists in 69 games. This performance was enough for him to lead the Blackhawks in scoring for the third straight year, despite missing 13 games due to a shoulder injury and illness. His playing time also increased to just under 21 minutes per night, indicating his significant role under new head coach Jeff Blashill.
During his rookie season, Bedard missed nearly six weeks due to a broken jaw. This past year, he was sidelined for 12 games after sustaining an injury to his right shoulder. Despite these setbacks, Davidson noted in April that Bedard took a significant step forward in every aspect of his game this year, underscoring his importance to the team.
Team trajectory and future leadership
The Blackhawks concluded the recent season with a record of 29-39-14, marking an 11-point improvement over the previous season. Despite this progress, the team remained out of playoff contention and has finished No. 31 in the NHL for the past three years. The team has not made a postseason appearance since the NHL utilized an expanded playoff format following the 2020 season, which was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
In an effort to bolster their roster, the Blackhawks acquired defenceman Bowen Byram in a trade with Buffalo on June 23. They also signed forward prospect Roman Kantserov in May. With Bedard’s contract now secured, a potential next step for him could be assuming the role of the 36th captain in franchise history. He became an alternate captain after the team traded away its entire leadership group in March.
His teammates believe he is prepared for such a responsibility. Forward Oliver Moore stated in April that Bedard possesses all the necessary leadership qualities to be a captain in the league, demonstrating them daily.
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Source: sportsnet.ca
