Connor Bedard Will Miss Four Months After Shoulder Surgery. The Blackhawks Have a Problem.

The Chicago Blackhawks got some brutal news Wednesday. Connor Bedard is going to miss about four months after surgery to repair his left shoulder. The team confirmed it in a statement, saying the procedure went well but that the 2023 first overall pick will be out until at least early November.

That timeline puts Bedard on the shelf for at least the first month of the NHL’s new 84-game season, which starts in late September. So Chicago has to figure out how to start the year without the guy they’re building around.

The injury reportedly happened during a drill at an offseason practice earlier this month. A video surfaced online showing Bedard leaving the ice in visible pain, grabbing his left shoulder. The Blackhawks didn’t say anything about it publicly until Wednesday, which led to a lot of speculation from fans and media.

What This Means for Bedard’s Contract

Here’s where it gets complicated. Bedard is a restricted free agent, and he’s eligible for an offer sheet. That’s already a weird dynamic for a former No. 1 pick coming off his entry-level deal. The situation got even weirder when Leo Carlsson — the No. 2 pick from 2023 — signed an $18 million offer sheet with the Flyers. That set a benchmark, and now Bedard’s camp has to negotiate with a major injury hanging over him.

The Blackhawks have a ton of cap space. They just gave Bowen Byram a huge contract. They are absolutely committed to building around Bedard. But does this injury change how they approach the numbers? Do teams thinking about an offer sheet back off now? Those are real questions with no clear answers yet.

Blackhawks Have to Survive Without Him

Chicago has some decent pieces. Byram gives them a legit top defenseman. But the whole point of this rebuild was to watch Bedard take another step and carry the offense. Without him for the first 10 to 15 games, the Blackhawks might be in real trouble out of the gate.

Bedard is still just 20 years old, and shoulder surgeries for young players tend to go fine long term. The Blackhawks said they expect a full recovery. But four months is four months, and the season doesn’t stop because your best player is in a sling.