With the NHL officially on pause for the Olympics, the spotlight shifts from the ice to the boardrooms - and for the Chicago Blackhawks, there’s one piece of business that looms larger than the rest: Connor Bedard’s contract extension.
The league’s best-on-best tournament is underway, and while fans are tuning in to watch NHL stars represent their countries on the Olympic stage, the players not making the trip to Milano-Cortina are getting a rare and much-needed breather. The season’s been a grind - compacted schedules, mounting injuries, and rosters stretched thin.
For teams, this break offers more than just rest. It’s a window to reset, recalibrate, and, in some cases, lock in the future.
That’s exactly where the Blackhawks find themselves.
Bedard entered this season without an extension, a decision that made sense at the time. Let the year play out, see how he adjusts, and then revisit the conversation.
But at this point? There’s no question.
The 18-year-old phenom has delivered - and then some.
Even with a shoulder injury that sidelined him for part of the season, Bedard has racked up 23 goals and 53 points in just 44 games. That’s elite production, and it’s fair to say he’d be right alongside Macklin Celebrini in the rookie scoring race if not for the time missed.
Now, with the Olympic break offering a rare moment of calm in an otherwise chaotic season, the timing couldn’t be better for the Blackhawks to move on an extension. No travel, no games, no day-to-day distractions - just a clean slate to sit down and figure out what a long-term commitment looks like.
What that deal will ultimately look like - in terms of dollars and years - is a conversation for another day. But the urgency is real.
Letting this linger into the post-Olympic stretch means competing for attention with the looming trade deadline and the 2026 NHL Draft. Push it to the summer, and you’re adding unnecessary variables to the mix.
This is a franchise that’s building around Bedard. He’s the cornerstone, the face of the future, and arguably already the most important player in the organization.
Locking him up now isn’t just about securing a talent - it’s about sending a message. To the locker room.
To the fanbase. To the league.
The opportunity is right in front of them. And if the Blackhawks play it smart, this Olympic pause could be remembered not just for the games in Italy - but for the moment Chicago took a major step forward in its rebuild by extending its franchise player.