The Chicago Blackhawks have made official what seemed essentially inevitable by signing number one overall pick Connor Bedard (on his 18th birthday) to a three-year entry-level contract. The deal will carry Bedard through the 2025-26 season and have a $950,000 cap hit per year with a $4.45 million AAV.
IT’S OFFICIAL
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— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) July 17, 2023
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Connor Bedard Signs Entry-Level Contract
Connor Bedard’s name dominated the headlines leading up to the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. Not only was he the consensus top overall pick, but he has also been pegged as a potential generational talent. When you mention generational talent you start using names like Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid. While nothing is guaranteed, Bedard has all of the tools and promise to be a franchise piece for the Blackhawks.
This past year he put up an outstanding 71 goals and 72 assists in 57 games for the Regina Pats of the WHL. In seven playoff games, he also put up ten goals and ten assists. His junior success has also translated on the international scene as he had the fourth-highest World Junior Championships points totals in history. He helped Canada win gold at this past World Junior Championships with another stellar performance of nine goals and 14 assists in seven games.
What this Means for Chicago and Bedard
The sky appears to be the limit for Connor Bedard. Even if he doesn’t reach the “generational” level, he has a very high likelihood of being a major cornerstone and top-line player for the Blackhawks for a long time. With Chicago going through somewhat of a rebuild, landing the top pick in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft to pick Bedard is a major accelerator to that process.
While not necessarily the speedster that McDavid is, Bedard has decent skating but an insanely high hockey IQ. As LWOH prospect expert Ben Kerr has provided, Bedard has a unique set of skills. While his stylistic NHL comparisons look at Crosby with some Auston Matthews in there, it is difficult to get a really close match due to Bedard’s abilities. Nevertheless, Chicago has a new sheriff in town for the foreseeable future. NHL fans everywhere should expect to see Bedard excel in the league.
Main Photo Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
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