Connor Bedard keeping focus on ice as contract talks loom

Connor Bedard isn’t letting contract negotiations become a distraction. The Chicago Blackhawks star, taken first overall in the 2023 NHL Draft, is entering the final year of his entry-level deal and will be a restricted free agent next summer. Despite the looming decision, the 20-year-old says both sides are comfortable with the current state of discussions.

“It’s nothing crazy,” Bedard told NHL.com during the NHL/NHLPA North American Player Media Tour. “They know I want to be there; I know they want me. It’s really not on my mind that much. When it happens, it’ll happen.”

Growth Through a Full Season

After a fractured jaw shortened his rookie season to 68 games, Bedard played a full 82 in 2024-25, finishing with 23 goals and 44 assists. His 67 points led the Blackhawks, who once again struggled to find traction in the Central Division, finishing last with a 25-46-11 record.

The no-look pass from Bedard pic.twitter.com/Cjvj3Df17C

— Blackhawks on CHSN (@CHSN_Blackhawks) November 10, 2023

For Bedard, the experience of managing the grind was invaluable.

“My rookie year, I got hurt [39 games in],” Bedard said. “You never want to get hurt, but then you get a little break and feel good. Last year, playing 82, you figure out what makes you feel best. The best players in the NHL aren’t their best every night, but they’re close most nights. That’s what I’m learning.”

Youngest players in NHL history with a 4-point game

Ted Kennedy (Maple Leafs, 1944) 18y 27d
Bep Guidolin (Bruins, 1944) 18y 56d
Connor Bedard (#Blackhawks, 2023) 18y 115d pic.twitter.com/DGCgEwXeDW

— Sportsnet Stats (@SNstats) November 10, 2023

Chicago fans were reminded of his upside early in his career, most notably during a four-point performance against Tampa Bay in just his 12th NHL game. At 18, he became the youngest player in franchise history to record a multi-goal game, a glimpse of the dynamic skillset that made him a generational prospect out of Regina.

Olympic ambitions for Connor Bedard

With NHL players returning to the Winter Games, Bedard also has an eye on cracking Canada’s roster for the 2026 Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo. The competition will be steep, but Bedard sees it as motivation rather than pressure.

“I’d need a great start, kind of light it up a bit,” he said. “There are so many great players in Canada. If I play great and don’t make it, that’s just how deep it is. But it would be special to be there.”

Connor Bedard has already proven himself in international play, winning gold with Canada at the 2022 and 2023 World Junior Championships and posting eight points in 10 games at the 2024 World Hockey Championship. His ability to rise in big moments suggests he’ll be in the mix for Team Canada when selections are made.

For now, Bedard is keeping his focus simple: keep developing, stay consistent, and help lift a struggling Chicago franchise back toward contention. The contract will come; the bigger question is how far the Blackhawks can climb with Bedard leading the way.