​Welcome back from the weekend, Blackhawks fans. Chicago has stayed quiet on the news front since the organization announced that Connor Bedard underwent left shoulder surgery on Wednesday. As the calendar advances from July 1, the offseason feels increasingly evident. Over the weekend, Chicago Hockey Now examined Bedard’s situation as a restricted free agent and whether his latest injury could influence contract negotiations with the Blackhawks this summer.
There’s also a strong Blackhawks note from last week: a compelling column on 2024 first-round pick Sacha Boisvert as he gears up for his first full professional season. Across the league, Colton Dach secured an extension with his hometown team, several notable restricted free agents revealed arbitration dates, and Connor Hellebuyck has laid out his ambitions clearly. All that and more in the Daily!
From Chicago Hockey Now: Last Wednesday, Blackhawks team physician Dr. Michael Terry announced that Bedard will miss approximately four weeks following a successful left shoulder surgery. Here are all the details on Bedard’s injury. Also in CHN, as Bedard awaits a new contract, could his two shoulder injuries over the past seven months affect the form of the deal the Blackhawks offer?
Also in CHN: Hidden beneath the Bedard news was the Blackhawks’ announcement of their 2026 preseason schedule, including dates and opponents. A reminder: the league will now feature only four preseason games as it moves to an 84-game regular season.
NHL.com: Tracey Myers published a thorough piece on Blackhawks rookie forward Sacha Boisvert, who played his first seven NHL games late in the 2025-26 season. Boisvert has reportedly added muscle this summer and aims to win a spot on the opening-night roster.
Daily Faceoff: The schedule for some of the NHL’s rising stars to resolve their next contracts is now public. PuckPedia released the full hearing-date schedule for the 15 players who filed for salary arbitration.
Philly Hockey Now: Among the notable arbitration cases are Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Jamie Drysdale and forward Trevor Zegras. One is set for a hearing in a week, while the other waits until early August.
TSN: Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson’s arbitration hearing is set for July 25, giving the team and player less than two weeks to strike a deal.
Sportsnet: Traded from the Blackhawks at the deadline, Colton Dach will stay with his hometown team, the Edmonton Oilers. Dach and the Oilers agreed to a two-year extension with a modest $1.2 million cap hit. Dach joins Jason Dickinson and Connor Murphy as players who have signed multi-year deals with Edmonton after the March trade.
NHLtraderumor.com: A note on SEO: coverage continues with updates and rumors across the league.