The Chicago Blackhawks have been struggling in December, and now have a major injury to deal with. Connor Bedard is on injured reserve after suffering an apparent shoulder injury. The Blackhawks lost their first game without Bedard already, and now have a firmer timeline. Bedard will be re-evaluated in January, according to Jon Greenberg of The Athletic.

“Connor Bedard is week to week, to be re-evaluated in January,” The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun reported. “How he feels then will determine how rapidly he returns. This is about rehab versus surgery, and at the moment, Bedard and Blackhawks are solely focused on the rehab route, not surgery. But let's see how Bedard feels in New Year.”

Bedard was having an incredible season before the upper-body injury cost him his first games of the season. With 19 goals and 25 assists in 31 games, he has made a significant campaign to make Canada's Olympic team. But this injury will butt up against Canada's roster announcement, which is slated for New Year's Eve.

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The Blackhawks head to Canada before the holiday break for a huge road trip. Games against the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, and Ottawa Senators are going to be much harder without Bedard. Chicago's 2023 third-round pick, Nick Lardis, joined the team for Saturday's game against the Detroit Red Wings, which they lost 4-0.

Bedard and Blues captain Brayden Schenn faced off with less than a second to go on Friday. Schenn tries to lift Bedard's stick to end any chance of Chicago scoring. He catches Bedard's arm in a brutal position, and the forward goes down clutching his shoulder. Chicago coach Jeff Blashill called the incident a “freak accident'

The Blackhawks are out of a playoff spot and now without their best player. Can they survive without Bedard? And will this impact his Olympic status?