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The Chicago Blackhawks have announced they will engage in discussions to extend the contract of their potential star young center, Connor Bedard. This is an important step for the franchise in building a future. Bedard enters the final year of his entry-level contract, so team management deemed it important to start discussions before the 19-year-old restricted free agent this summer.
General manager Kyle Davidson confirmed the conversations have begun but are still in the early stages and said that Bedard seemed to have a sincere interest in being in Chicago for a long time, which is in the franchise's best interest in its collective goal, as reported by Tracey Myers of NHL.com.
Bedard became eligible to sign an extension on July 17, exactly one year after he signed his initial three-year, $2.85 million deal. Since then, he has been the team’s leading scorer for two consecutive seasons, including a standout 67-point performance in 2024–25. He also took home the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s top rookie after racking 61 points in his first season.
Although there is a degree of optimism, Davidson noted that some aspects, like changes to the league’s salary cap and modifications to the collective bargaining agreement, could slow things down. The cap will likely go up every season until 2028, which could introduce some uncertainty in finances around stuff they might do, even if there is interest from both player and team.
Bedard also addressed rumors about his supposed unhappiness in Chicago after the team finished last in the Central Division for two years. He dismissed those stories and reiterated that he was serious about rebuilding the team and that he loved the city and its passionate fan base.
In addition to the contract talks with Bedard, the Blackhawks have kept a low profile in free agency. Their only move so far has been a trade with the Buffalo Sabres to bring in forward Sam Lafferty, which shows that the organization is currently focused on developing its internal talent. Davidson mentioned that the team will keep looking for depth options throughout the offseason.
Connor Bedard is truly the cornerstone of the Blackhawks’ future. He’s mentioned feeling welcomed by the franchise even before the draft, and everything points to a strong commitment from both sides to keep him as the team's face for many years ahead.
