Blackhawks expected to make major Connor Bedard decision originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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The Chicago Blackhawks have a cool chance to step into their future.
Chicago doesn’t have a captain right now after trading Nick Foligno before the deadline. The Blackhawks don’t plan to name one the rest of the season, either.
But soon? It could be Connor Bedard.
Sporstnet’s Elliotte Friedman said recently, “I think Bedard’s gonna be captain,” and then affirmed that he believed it could happen for the 2026-27 season.
This would be an awesome honor for Bedard, although not necessarily one that is unexpected.
The Blackhawks picked Bedard with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft. He’s the kind of guy you draft with the hope that he can become the captain in the future.
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He’ll turn 21 in July, so it’ll be early in his career, but that’s how it goes for some of these phenoms.
Bedard is in his third NHL season.
In year one, he had 61 points (22 goals, 39 assists).
Last year, he went for 67 points (23 goals, 44 assists).
Bedard has played 49 games so far this season and has 25 goals with 32 assists (57 points). As long as he stays healthy down the stretch, he’ll easily set his points career high, and he’s already got the best goal total of his career.
Soon, Bedard might also have the ‘C’ on his sweater. That would be an amazing honor, and potentially just the continuation of a career that is clearly on the rise.
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- Flyers make final choice on Rasmus Ristolainen
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