Bedard says Carlsson's offer sheet
had no effect on his thinking for Blackhawks contract
[July 21, 2026]
By JAY COHEN
CHICAGO (AP) — Connor Bedard never wavered. Whenever the young
center was asked about his future, he always responded with similar
variations of the same message.
All the way to his $75 million, five-year contract with the Chicago
Blackhawks.
“I’ve said (it) so much and it’s not anything fake. Chicago’s
really, you know, the only place I want to play,” Bedard said.
Bedard's new deal was announced on Saturday, a day after his 21st
birthday. It provides a level of security for both Bedard and the
rebuilding Blackhawks, even if it always seemed as if it was just a
matter of the final numbers than any sort of question about the end
result.
Some intrigue arrived when Leo Carlsson, another restricted free
agent, signed a $90 million, five-year offer sheet with Philadelphia
before going back to Anaheim when the Ducks decided to match the
offer sheet. But Bedard stayed with his plans all along.
It was always Chicago.
“I’m very happy with the amount of money I’m making. You know, it’s
a lot,” a chuckling Bedard said Monday in his first public comments
since the deal was announced. “I think just with that, obviously the
offer sheet is different as well. You know with a team trying to
take a guy, it is going to be a different value. But for me, that
didn’t change anything I was thinking.”
The final details were completed after Bedard had surgery on his
left shoulder on July 8. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 draft is
expected to miss the start of the season after he got hurt while
skating with a group of NHL players in western Canada.
Bedard also missed 12 games last season after he hurt his right
shoulder on a draw during a 3-2 loss at St. Louis on Dec. 12.
“You always do everything you can to try to prevent injury and stay
healthy,” he said. “It’s a terrible part of the game but it’s
something that you know I think for me to have this next little bit
and go through that adversity and try to get stronger, you know,
mentally in that way. That’s the way I’m trying to look at it and
then come back.”
Bedard has been Chicago's most important player since he made his
anticipated NHL debut in October 2023. He continued his steady
improvement in his third season, setting career highs with 30 goals
and 45 assists in 69 games.
But he hasn't experienced much winning since arriving in Chicago.
The Blackhawks went 29-39-14 last season, an 11-point improvement on
the previous season and still nowhere near playoff contention. The
team has finished No. 31 in the NHL each of the past three years.
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Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard (98) skates with the
puck as Minnesota Wild left wing Marcus Johansson (90) defends
during the second period of an NHL hockey game, March 19, 2026, in
St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr, File)
Chicago is looking for its first postseason
appearance since the NHL used an expanded playoff format after the
2020 season was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Looking to get the team back in contention, general manager Kyle
Davidson swung a trade for defenseman Bowen Byram on June 23. The
Blackhawks also signed forward prospect Roman Kantserov in May, and
then added forward Cole Smith and defenseman Ian Cole on the first
day of free agency.
“I think we’ve had a great summer,” Bedard said.
But Chicago could use another top-six forward, possibly to play
alongside Bedard, and, well, Patrick Kane remains on the market as a
free agent. The 37-year-old Kane, who helped the Blackhawks win
three Stanley Cup championships before he was traded to the New York
Rangers in February 2023, is reportedly considering a return to his
first NHL team.
“That would be incredible to get to play with him and learn from
him,” Bedard said. “So hopefully he decides to come back. ... You
talk about kind of the legacy aspect of it, but just as a team, it
would make us a way better team. He’s still an amazing player.”
With the contract completed, the next big moment for Bedard could be
taking over as the 36th captain in franchise history. He became an
alternate captain after the team traded away its entire leadership
group in March.
“If I was able to get that honor, it would be so special and
something that I know I wouldn’t take for granted for a second,”
Bedard said. “But we got so many guys in the room that can lead.”
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