​CHICAGO — Connor Bedard, the Chicago Blackhawks’ dynamic center, will sit out the start of the season after undergoing surgery on his left shoulder. Team physician Michael Terry indicated that Bedard is on track for a full recovery, with an approximate timeline of about four months. While the NHL has not yet released its regular-season schedule, the Blackhawks opened their season last year 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. His absence is a significant setback for a Blackhawks team that continues to navigate a difficult rebuilding phase. In his third NHL season, Bedard delivered career highs with 30 goals and 45 assists over 69 games. He also endured a spell of 12 missed games after injuring his right shoulder on a 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 this injury will influence the ongoing contract negotiations for his next deal. He missed nearly six weeks of his rookie season due to a broken jaw.
Chicago finished last season with a 29-39-14 record, an 11-point improvement from the previous year, yet still well outside playoff contention. The Blackhawks have not reached the postseason in an era when the NHL expanded playoff formats after the COVID-19 pandemic altered the 2020 season. In a franchise hoping to break through years of underperformance, Bedard has been the focal point since being selected No. 1 overall in the 2023 draft. He made a highly anticipated NHL debut that October and captured the Calder Trophy as the league’s top rookie. In his second season, he posted 23 goals and 44 assists while playing all 82 games, establishing himself as a foundational player for Chicago’s rebuild and its hopes for a brighter future. This injury adds yet another challenge for Bedard and the franchise as they aim to reassemble a contending roster around a player seen as the core of their long-term plans.