Chicago Blackhawks forward Connor Bedard underwent surgery on Monday to repair a fractured jaw and is expected to miss six to eight weeks, according to Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli.
Bedard was injured in the Blackhawks’ Jan. 5 game against the New Jersey Devils. The 18-year-old center carried the puck into the Devils’ zone when defenseman Brendan Smith stepped up and hit Bedard high, causing Bedard to grab his mouth and fall to the ice. Bedard skated on his own to the bench and went straight to the locker room. He did not return.
Bedard Likely to Miss All-Star Game
The news comes less than a week after Bedard was named the Blackhawks’ representative for the 2024 NHL All-Star Game in Toronto this February. At just 18 years and 181 days, he became the youngest player in NHL history to be named an All-Star. However, this news likely means he won’t be able to attend, and the Blackhawks will have to send a replacement.
The 2023 first-overall pick was having one of the best rookie seasons in modern NHL history, with 15 goals and 18 assists in 39 games. Even after missing the last two games against the Calgary Flames (Jan. 7) and the Edmonton Oilers (Jan. 9), Bedard led the Blackhawks in all three offensive scoring categories and is still 10 points ahead of second-place Philipp Kurashev.
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Who will replace Bedard as the team’s All-Star representative? The most likely candidate is forward Jason Dickinson, who may be this season’s feel-good story. A career fourth-liner, Dickinson has 14 goals and 21 points through 41 games and could be the most consistent player on the Blackhawks not named Bedard. A first-round pick by the Dallas Stars in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft, Dickinson is well on his way to breaking career highs in all offensive categories, and an All-Star appearance would be a tremendous reward for a great season.
What Now for the Blackhawks?
I can’t remember a team that’s dealt with this many major injuries in a season, and we’re not even at the halfway mark yet.
Seth Jones, far-and-away the team’s best defenseman, has been out since Dec. 10 with a shoulder injury but could return before the All-Star break. Nick Foligno is out with a broken finger suffered in a fight with Smith after the Bedard hit. Anthony Beauvillier, acquired in late November after the team terminated Corey Perry’s contract, is on injured reserve with a wrist injury. Andreas Athanasiou has been out since Nov. 9 with a lower-body injury with no timetable for a return, and let’s not forget Taylor Hall, who underwent season-ending knee surgery in November.
Related: Blackhawks Build Character While Fighting Multiple Injuries
Yes, this is a rebuilding season. However, it was centered around Bedard, who will now be out until possibly March. But head coach Luke Richardson and his staff should be keenly aware that these games will have a massive impact on the development of prospects like defenseman Alex Vlasic, Kevin Korchinski and forward Lukas Reichel and that the lineup will need to dig deep to keep up with the rest of the league.
No one is expecting this season’s version of the Blackhawks to compete in the postseason, let alone for the Stanley Cup, but they’re expected to compete. They’re still professionals, after all.
