It looks like Chicago Blackhawks rookie phenom Connor Bedard is returning ahead of schedule.
The 18-year-old will return to the lineup against Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday night, according to Emily Kaplan of ESPN.
“Connor Bedard returns to the Blackhawks lineup tonight, source says. Bedard, who broke his jaw on Jan 5, has been practicing…but hadn’t been cleared for contact. I’m told he skated with the extras this morning & coaches put him through some contact drills —which went well.”
Bedard's return is a monumental boost to an abysmal Hawks team that currently sits in the league basement with a ghastly 14-36-3 record.
The Canadian wasn't expected back from a fractured jaw for three more weeks, after coach Luke Richardson said back at the end of January that it would take another month and a half to get his best player back in the lineup.
It was then reported earlier this week that Bedard could return as soon as next week. But the fact he actually will play on Thursday is phenomenal news for Hawks fans, who haven't had a lot to cheer about lately.
Connor Bedard's return imminent
It's certainly an odd development; NHL.com's Tracey Myers reported that Bedard hadn't taken any contact at practice since the injury.
“It sounds like Connor Bedard had an imaging scan on Wednesday morning and he was hoping to practice with the team,” reported NBC Sports Chicago's Charlie Roumeliotis. “We’ll see if he makes a surprise return tonight. There’s no morning skate, so he’d be thrown right into the fire if he does.”
It is surprising that Bedard actually is returning to the lineup, and it should be electric for both Chicago fans and the league at large.
Still the Calder Trophy favorite despite missing a large chunk of the 2023-24 campaign, Connor Bedard has scored 15 goals and 33 points in his first 39 NHL games, and he has a chance to improve on those totals on Thursday night.
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