Connor Bedard’s next season with the Chicago Blackhawks is shaping up to be the most favorable spot he’s had yet in the NHL.
The biggest change came this week when the Blackhawks made it official: Bedard is their next captain. For plenty around the fan base, it was the kind of move that felt inevitable long before the announcement.
Now it’s real, and it comes with a lot more than a letter on his sweater. Bedard is carrying a $75 million contract, entering his fourth season in the league at just 21, and set to skate alongside Patrick Kane as his newest linemate.
That combination gives this 2026-2027 season a different feel for Bedard. The burden he has carried since arriving in Chicago has been heavy from the start.
He came in with enormous expectations after his extraordinary junior run with the Regina Pats in the WHL, then landed with an Original Six franchise that was only a few years removed from three Stanley Cups in six seasons. That was a steep climb from day one.
Even so, Bedard has handled the grind well enough in a difficult environment. Chicago has finished in the basement every year since he joined the team, but he has still managed to put together a strong individual start.
He won the Calder trophy in 2024, rebounded after a rough sophomore year, and has produced at just under a point-per-game pace over his first three seasons. Statistically, his opening stretch looks a lot like Kane’s, which is no small thing considering the difference in the teams around them when each player began his Blackhawks run.
What makes this year stand out is the help finally starting to arrive. Bedard has spent each season with the same question hanging over him: who is there to play with him?
So far, his most productive wing options have included Philipp Kurashev, Nick Foligno, Ryan Donato, Tyler Bertuzzi, and Ryan Greene. Useful pieces, yes.
True top-line finishers, no.
That could change now. Kyle Davidson has reinforcements on the way in top rookies Anton Frondell and Roman Kantserov, both of whom are expected to get time with Bedard in the top-six forward group.
Frank Nazar and Nick Lardis are also expected to take steps this season, and Kane’s return only adds more intrigue. Bedard and Kane together should be one of the most watched combinations in the city, and it gives Chicago the kind of support Bedard has not had before.
The ripple effect matters. Opponents can no longer focus all of their attention on Bedard and call it a night. With more threats on the ice, there should be more room for him to operate, and that should lead to bigger numbers if the players around him can cash in on the chances he creates.
There is one issue standing in the way to start the year: Bedard will begin the season on the sidelines while he waits for the team to activate him from injured reserve. He had surgery on his left shoulder this summer, but he has been skating consistently at Blackhawks Ice Center and has been seen taking relatively hard shots. That does not mean he is ahead of schedule, but it does suggest the recovery is moving in the right direction.
Bedard has also settled into the captaincy quickly. He has already shown he can handle the media side of the job, and he appears to have the mindset needed to lead this team. When he does return, the Blackhawks should have a player in place to do the job at the best of his ability.
In Other News...
Blackhawks Just Made Ethan Del Mastro A Much Bigger Camp Story
Ethan Del Mastros summer took another meaningful step when the Blackhawks signed the defenseman to a new contract, turning a player who was already on the radar into a much bigger camp storyline. Drafted 105th overall in 2021, Del Mastro has already logged professional time with the AHLs Rockford IceHogs and even got a taste of the NHL with Chicago, so this is no longer just about long-term projection. It is about how soon he can carve out a real role on a blue line that has gotten more crowded.
For the Blackhawks, that makes his camp worth watching closely. Del Mastro now has a clearer path to stick around, but it is still no sure thing he opens the season in Chicago, especially with the competition on defense tightening. The signing gives him another chance to push his way into the picture, and it also leaves the organization with a decision that could matter just as much for the roster as for Del Mastros immediate future. [Read more 🡒]
Blackhawks Just Added Another Young Defenseman To A Crowded Camp Battle
Ethan Del Mastros place in the Blackhawks future got a little clearer with a new contract extension, giving the organization another young defenseman to sort through as its blue-line picture continues to take shape. Drafted by Chicago in 2021, Del Mastro has already split time between the Blackhawks and the Rockford IceHogs, and he has added a pair of gold medals at the IIHF World Championships to his rsum along the way.
The extension also puts a bow on Chicagos roster signings heading into the 2026-27 training camp, which only sharpens the competition that will unfold when camp opens. For a team still trying to define which young defensemen will stick long term, Del Mastros new deal keeps him in the conversation and adds another layer to a battle that is only getting more crowded. [Read more 🡒]
Blackhawks Just Settled One Camp Issue Around Ethan Del Mastro
Ethan Del Mastro has his next chapter lined up in Chicago after the Blackhawks settled one of the quieter roster questions of camp. The defensemans path has already included time in both the NHL and AHL since turning pro, and the new agreement gives the organization another young blue-liner under contract as it continues sorting out its back end for the season ahead.
The bigger question now is where Del Mastro fits once camp decisions start getting made in earnest. He is still on the fringe of the NHL group and could wind up back in Rockford if the Blackhawks choose to go that route, but doing so would not be a simple paper move. [Read more 🡒]