Blackhawks' Connor Bedard Out For Four Months
"This morning, forward Connor Bedard underwent successful surgery to repair his left shoulder," team physician Dr. Michael Terry was quoted. "We expect him to make a full recovery in an approximate timeline of four months."
Bedard was a victim of circumstances, as he suffered a left shoulder injury while taking part in offseason training in his hometown of Vancouver last week.
This is a different injury than the right-shoulder injury he suffered, which kept him out of the lineup for 12 games in 2025-26.
The Blackhawks lineup will look significantly different without Bedard in the lineup, and will have to account for his absence by switching around players and prospects to find the optimal line combinations.
Fortunately for General manager Kyle Davidson and head coach Jeff Blashill, they have options for a placeholder while Bedard is out on injury.
Center Frank Nazar could be a solution for the first two months of the season, while Anton Frondell could find himself playing down the middle, as opposed to how he's started his NHL career: on the wing.
The injury bug is getting an early start to the year for the Blackhawks. Hopefully, this isn't a sign of things to come.
Last season for the Blackhawks, the former Calder Trophy winner scored 75 points (30 goals, 45 assists) in 69 games in his third season wearing the Blackhawks crest. The former 1st OA pick in 2023 has scored 203 points in 213 games with a minus-98 rating on the ice.
The face of the Blackhawks' franchise has finished his entry-level contract and has yet to receive a contract offer from GMKD. It's been reported by Daily Faceoff that his asking price could be upward of $17 million AAV.
Chicago finished 31st in 2025-26 with a record of 29-39-14, in Jeff Blashill's first year as head coach.
