Bedard’s New Contract Makes the Blackhawks Truly Competitive

Connor Bedard and the Chicago Blackhawks finally put pen to paper and inked a five-year, $75 million contract. At a $15 million average annual value (AAV), Bedard took a team-friendly deal. At the beginning of the month, on July 1, Bowen Byram inked a six-year, $12.5 AAV extension starting in the 2027-28 season. With those contracts, Bedard is in Chicago for five years, and Byram for seven; general manager Kyle Davidson has officially opened up his first window.

Davidson Has His Future

Bedard has deservedly and expectedly been made the highest-paid player on the team. He is the face of this franchise, so that’s not a surprise. Bedard has 203 points in his last 219 NHL games across the last three seasons and is coming off a career-high 75-point campaign, despite an injury to his right shoulder after a faceoff against the St. Louis Blues on Dec. 12 (he ended up missing 12 games).

After Leo Carlsson signed an $18 million AAV offer sheet from the Philadelphia Flyers (that the Anaheim Ducks matched), Bedard could’ve taken much more than $15 million per season. In fact, he could’ve gotten more than Carlsson if he really wanted to and even signed an offer sheet to put pressure on Davidson and the Blackhawks to get this done.

However, Bedard was patient throughout the process. He is taking the same route Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews did as well, to take the bridge (while getting paid what they deserved), as the cap is going through the roof and will get even more money later.

Then, there’s Byram. He was acquired after the Blackhawks traded the fourth overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft for him, the first time a top-five pick has been dealt since 2008. He tallied 41 points in 82 games with the Buffalo Sabres, as well as having an incredible playoff run, with seven points in 13 games throughout two rounds.

Byram has never had the chance to be a No. 1 defenseman, as he was stuck behind Cale Makar and Rasmus Dahlin for his whole career so far. His production should skyrocket with top-line minutes, at both 5-on-5 and on the power play, as he’ll be the quarterback and one of the main catalysts for making things happen. 

Byram getting $12.5 million per year without proving he can be a top defender on a hockey team is ambitious. Davidson believes in him, though, and Byram is excited for the opportunity. If he turns into what Chicago thinks he can be, when Quinn Hughes and Makar get their next contracts, $12.5 million will look like a steal. 

It took a while, but Davidson has finally found his two superstars on both ends of the ice in Bedard and Byram. Not only did he find his “guys,” but he also found his future, as Bedard is only 21 years old and Byram is 25. They’ll both continue to improve their games.

What to Expect in the Next Five Years

Davidson has opened up his first “competing” window. While this is exciting, with Bedard out of the lineup until November and young skaters still trying to work out the kinks, this may be another season where we look towards the lottery.

The Blackhawks are going to struggle a lot for the few weeks they’re without Bedard, but the addition of Byram and a needed upward trajectory from Anton Frondell and Frank Nazar could do some damage limitation. Plus, highly anticipated prospect Roman Kantserov is going into his rookie season starting in September.

An order of business this upcoming season or next summer should be putting one of the three 2027 first-round picks to use in a trade. Kantserov has great potential, but Bedard has yet to have a true winger on his side. There’s no doubt that Kantserov can become that guy, and that’s what the front office is hoping he can become, but it’s about time Bedard gets a true name on his line. 

Despite Bedard taking up $15 million AAV, the Blackhawks shouldn’t have any problems paying Frondell, Artyom Levshunov, Oliver Moore, and, looking down the road in three years, Spencer Knight, when his bridge deal is over.

They’re going to have cap flexibility to do a lot more than some teams when the time comes to sign their superstars as the cap rises; maybe they can even poach one in the future. The Blackhawks managed to give two huge contracts and keep it at $27.5 million — even after those two massive contracts, the Blackhawks still have $14 million in cap space left to play with — Davidson did a tidy job. 

When everyone is paid, it’s go time for the playoffs and an eventual Stanley Cup. The Blackhawks should be at the very least competing for a wildcard spot in the 2027-28 season, if not making the playoffs that campaign or the one after. By 2030, or maybe sooner, is when they should be in discussions for the Cup.

One thing is certain, and that is that Bedard believes in the process and is enthusiastically encouraged, which is the most important thing. He deeply loves Chicago and met them halfway in the negotiations; he didn’t want to be anywhere else in the world. While the deal taking him up to when he’s only 26 years old and in the middle of his prime can be somewhat concerning, Bedard is committed (from ‘Inside Connor Bedard’s contract negotiations with the Blackhawks: ‘He’s totally committed,” The Athletic, July 18, 2026).

If everything goes according to plan, he’ll have no reason to leave, and Davidson isn’t going to undercut him; if anything, Bedard may meet him in the middle once again on the next deal. 

The future is bright in the Windy City; everything just needs to work out.