Chicago Blackhawks star Connor Bedard will miss the start of the 2026-27 NHL season after undergoing surgery on his left shoulder, the team announced Wednesday.
Bedard sustained the injury earlier this month while crashing into the boards during training with Kaivo Hockey in Vancouver. The team stated that a full recovery is expected within approximately four months. This timeline indicates he will likely be sidelined until November, missing at least the initial month of the season, which is set to begin in late September.
"Obviously a superb young talent," said free agent addition Ian Cole regarding Bedard. "Unfortunately, yeah, it sounds like it’s going to be a little later than originally anticipated, but you know, he seems like a great guy."
This is the second shoulder injury for Bedard in less than a year. In December, he missed four weeks after injuring his right shoulder during a faceoff against the Blues. Bedard, who turns 21 later this month, was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft and led the Blackhawks with 75 points in 69 games last season, notching his first 30-goal campaign. He earned the Calder Trophy as the league’s Rookie of the Year for the 2023-24 season. Across his NHL career, he has recorded 203 points in 219 games.
The Blackhawks, who finished 31st in the NHL in each of the past three seasons, also recently acquired defenseman Bowen Byram from the Sabres. They signed Byram to a six-year contract extension worth $75 million, giving him an average annual value of $12.5 million, the highest among defensemen in the league.