Connor Bedard isn’t backing away from the idea that the Chicago Blackhawks can make a real jump in 2026-27.
That belief starts with the room itself. Chicago is still a young team with plenty of inexperience in the lineup, and even with a few veterans mixed in, climbing out of the NHL basement will not be easy. But Bedard sees a group that already feels connected, and he thinks that matters.
"We are such a close group,” Bedard said. “We're keeping tabs on each other all summer. When you get that kind of camaraderie and family aspect, it makes it that much more fun to play hockey."
That kind of bond is part of what Chicago is trying to build around a core of young players, many of them high-end first-round picks. The Blackhawks still have to put the pieces together on the ice, but Bedard made it clear he likes the direction of the group.
He also made it clear that money was never going to be the thing that changed his mind about staying in Chicago. Bedard is set to make $15 million a year over the next five years, and he said the number was never the issue.
"I'm very happy with the amount of money I'm making. It's a lot,” Bedard said.
“The offer sheet...is going to be a different value. That didn't change anything I was thinking.
Chicago is really the only place I want to play."
Bedard said both sides were satisfied with how the deal came together. And while stars taking a little less can help a team’s outlook on paper, he framed the decision as one that fit what he wanted all along.
The Blackhawks’ top player also kept the focus on the bigger picture when asked about the offense. For him, the target isn’t just putting up numbers. It’s getting Chicago back into the playoff conversation.
"I think you think about what the team (as a whole) can achieve," Bedard said. "We want to take a big step this year.
We want to be a playoff team. That's our only goal."
Bedard pointed to the team’s additions, including Roman Kantserov and Bowen Byram, along with the more physical players who should make Chicago tougher to handle. That mix, in his view, gives the Blackhawks reason to believe in what they’re building.
"We feel good about our group," Bedard continued. "We're extremely confident in each and every guy in the room and the growth we've all had this summer."
Whether that confidence turns into a playoff spot is still an open question, but Chicago does enter the season with a better roster than it had at the end of the 2025-26 regular season. If Bedard can stay healthy and the group avoids getting buried early, the Blackhawks believe there’s a path forward.
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