Connor Bedard is the next face of the Blackhawks - and now he’s got the captaincy to match.
Chicago announced Tuesday that the 21-year-old forward has been named the 37th captain in franchise history, taking over the “C” after Nick Foligno wore it from September 2024 until he was traded to the Minnesota Wild at the Trade Deadline last March.
The move comes after a big offensive season for Bedard. In 2025-26, he put up career highs across the board with 30 goals and 45 assists for 75 points in 69 games. Through three NHL seasons, he has 75 goals and 128 assists for 203 points in 219 career games.
Bedard’s rise in Chicago has already come with a major long-term commitment. This summer, the Blackhawks signed him to a five-year, $75-million extension that carries an annual cap hit of $15 million. That number will rank as the NHL’s third-highest cap hit in 2026-27.
The Blackhawks made Bedard the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, and he arrived with a decorated junior and international résumé. In three seasons with the Regina Pats of the Western Hockey League, he scored 134 goals and added 137 assists for 271 points in 134 regular-season games.
He’s also been a force for Canada on the world stage. Bedard helped Canada win back-to-back IIHF World Junior Championship gold medals in 2022 and 2023, piling up 13 goals and 18 assists for 31 points in 14 games across those tournaments. He is Canada’s all-time leader in World Junior goals and points.
Chicago’s decision lands after a rough team season. The Blackhawks finished 2025-26 at 29-39-14 for 72 points, last in the Central Division and second-worst in both the Western Conference and the NHL. They ended up 18 points out of a Wildcard spot in the West.
Tyler Bertuzzi led the club with a career-high 32 goals, while Bedard paced the Blackhawks in assists and points with 45 and 75, respectively.
In Other News...
Chris Getz Hinted At A White Sox Draft Reset Fans Should Watch
The White Soxs scouting operation is in the spotlight again after amateur scouting director Mike Shirley resigned amid an internal investigation tied to allegations of verbal harassment involving inappropriate racial and sexist comments. Shirley had been placed on administrative leave in August after an anonymous tip, and his departure came after an HR investigation, leaving another significant change at a department that plays a major role in the clubs long-term rebuild.
General manager Chris Getz has already hinted that the scouting setup may not look the same going forward, though he has not gone into detail about Shirleys exit. For a team trying to reshape its pipeline and restore some stability, the next move in that department matters almost as much as the departure itself, because the White Sox are now left to decide how they want to structure the group responsible for finding the next wave of talent. [Read more 🡒]
White Sox Prospects Headed To Arizona Could Shape Chicagos Next Wave
The White Sox have settled on the group headed to the Arizona Fall League, and it gives a useful snapshot of where some of the organizations next interesting names stand. Pitchers Nick Altermatt, Jonathan Clark, Pierce George, Mathias LaCombe and Garrett Wright will be joined by catcher Grant Magill, infielders Anthony DePino and Colby Shelton and outfielder Caleb Bonemer, a mix that reflects both depth and a few players pushing to separate themselves from the pack.
For Chicago, the Fall League is less about the standings than the stage. Relievers Pierce George and Mathias LaCombe, along with Bonemer in the outfield, are among the prospects worth tracking after recent minor league showings, and this next stretch will let them test themselves against other top young talent. It is the kind of assignment that can quietly shape how a farm system is viewed, especially for a club still building its next wave. [Read more 🡒]
White Sox Get A Colson Montgomery Scare At The Worst Time
Colson Montgomery gave the White Sox a scare in the middle of a game against the Guardians when he was hit on the forearm by a pitch and later left with a left wrist contusion. The good news came quickly after the game, when Chicago announced that X-rays were negative and Montgomery was listed day-to-day, but anytime a young player exits with a wrist issue, it tends to hang over the clubhouse for a bit.
Montgomerys timing hardly could be worse for a White Sox team trying to keep its playoff hopes alive, especially with the infielder already having a tough season at the plate. Chicago has been trying to piece together offense wherever it can find it, and now it has to wait and see how much time Montgomery might miss before figuring out what his absence could mean in the days ahead. [Read more 🡒]