​Chicago — Connor Bedard, the centerpiece of the Chicago Blackhawks and the No. 1 pick from the 2023 draft, will miss the start of the season after undergoing surgery on his left shoulder this past Wednesday. Team physician Michael Terry indicated that Bedard is expected to recover fully, with an approximate timeline of about four months before he can return to competitive play. While the NHL has not yet released its regular-season schedule, the Blackhawks opened their campaign last season on October 7.
Bedard, who turns 21 on July 17, sustained the injury while skating with a group of NHL players in his hometown of Vancouver last week. The news is a significant setback for a Blackhawks club still navigating a painful rebuilding phase. In his third NHL season, Bedard posted career highs with 30 goals and 45 assists across 69 games. He missed 12 games after injuring his right shoulder on a faceoff draw during a 3-2 loss at St. Louis on December 12.
“He’s so important to our team,” general manager Kyle Davidson said in April. “He took such a big step forward this year in every facet.” Bedard is currently a restricted free agent, and it remains to be seen whether the shoulder injury will influence negotiations for his next contract. He also missed nearly six weeks of his rookie season due to a broken jaw.
Last season, Chicago went 29-39-14, marking an 11-point improvement over the previous year but still not close to playoff contention. The Blackhawks have not reached the postseason since the league adopted an expanded playoff format after the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season, and they have finished last in the NHL at No. 31 for each of the past three years.
Bedard has been the club’s focal point since being selected first overall in the 2023 draft. He made his highly anticipated NHL debut in October of that year and captured the Calder Trophy as the league’s rookie of the year. In his sophomore season, he appeared in all 82 games, tallying 23 goals and 44 assists.