Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard had just confirmed the status of his contract talks on June 19. He told a reporter that he and the team were in between talks about a new deal. 

Bedard, the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, played out his three-year entry-level contract last season. He made a career-high 75 points in 69 games.

During his offseason training session, Bedard was asked directly whether he and the Blackhawks were making progress toward a long-term deal.

In an X post by @RyanmcgregorCHI, an NHL Journalist, he gives a clearer picture of what's going on with the situation.

"I'm open to whatever, see what they want, what I want," Bedard said. "Obviously, we're talking and stuff, so yeah, whatever works best for both sides."

This just confirmed that talks between both sides were still ongoing. Bedard did not specifically mention any salary numbers, but only that the topic existed.

That difference became more clear on July 9, when NHL insider Frank Seravalli went on the radio show Mully & Haugh and gave a similar but more precise answer. 

With the free agency set to open on July 1, the Blackhawks' general manager, Kyle Davidson, said there was no update on the deal, hinting that Bedard is still an unsigned restricted free agent.

That leaves Bedard, who’s just done with his most productive NHL season, without a contract. And the other top prospects from his 2023 draft class have already reset the standards in the market.

Leo Carlsson's five-year, $18 million-per-year offer sheet with the Philadelphia Flyers, ever since it was matched by Anaheim, has raised the stakes for what could happen to Bedard.

Bedard's Shoulder Surgery Adds a New Setback

Bedard's contract situation is now more in doubt as he goes through a significant injury. On July 2, he fell awkwardly into the boards during an offseason skate in Vancouver and injured his left shoulder.

Just last year, he injured the opposite shoulder in a December game against the St. Louis Blues. He underwent surgery on July 8, and the Blackhawks said he might need about four months to recover.

This puts Bedard's return in the early-to-mid-November range. So he will likely miss training camp, the preseason, and at least the first month of the 2026-27 regular season as per Da Windy City.

This is the third significant injury of his young career, after going through a broken jaw as a rookie and a right shoulder injury.

The Blackhawks are expected to use Frank Nazar and rookie Anton Frondell to fill in for Bedard’s spot as he recovers. There’s no report suggesting that his injury might disrupt his contract talks, since a potential deal is already being talked about.

Read more at NHL Fan Central!

Written by

Aadhya Nalla

Edited by

Kaamna Dwivedi