Chicago Blackhawks have Connor Bedard question to answer before draft, per insider

The Chicago Blackhawks front office entered the offseason knowing they needed to sort out how to approach Connor Bedard’s contract extension. The 2023 No. 1 pick is eligible for a new deal this summer.

At his end-of-season press conference, Bedard said he wants to stay in Chicago, but he hadn’t focused too much on his contract extension during the season.

While Bedard and his agent have been encouraged to wait a year to try and bargain for money after the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, Chicago could have some leverage if the center waits until 2026.

The Chicago Blackhawks have a question to answer on Connor Bedard

Per Corey Pronman of The Athletic, the Blackhawks have an important question to answer on Bedard before the draft on June 28. Who the Blackhawks draft at No. 3 will be determined by whether new head coach Jeff Blashill sees Bedard as a true No. 1 center or not.

If he’s a role center or winger, the Blackhawks might draft another center for the future. (Which could mean Bedard’s value in the league will go down if they switch him to the wing.)

“The big question for Chicago at No. 3 isn’t just who the best player available is — it’s how the Blackhawks want to build around Connor Bedard,” Pronman wrote. “The entire conversation hinges on whether the organization views Bedard as a long-term center, particularly someone who can be a 1C on a contending team.

“If they do, the path likely shifts toward wingers or complementary skill. If they don’t, the focus becomes finding the right center to play with or support him.”

Pronman thinks Jake O’Brien, Caleb Desnoyers, and Anton Frondell are the most likely options for Chicago at No. 3. While O’Brien is the most skilled, Pronman argued Desnoyers and Frondell could play the role of Jonathan Toews, allowing Bedard to adjust to the role of Patrick Kane.

The Blackhawks have less than a month to figure out how they see Bedard before a pivotal Year 3.

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