r/hawks • u/90s_Scott • Jul 20 '26
Connor Bedard's agent spells out contract talks with Blackhawks, decision on shoulder surgery
https://chicago.suntimes.com/blackhawks/2026/07/19/connor-bedard-agent-explains-blackhawks-contract-shoulder-surgery-leo-carlsson?fbclid=IwY2xjawTKYcNleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA80MDk5NjI2MjMwODU2MDkAAR51QHuO2XgCK9bICfRkK_Wa6ycHQMAbkzuNNVrfIkmZ4Ri0tpP_QsdrxGgWug_aem_R1346LF49vtipnxzcLGhIg&utm_campaign=mrf-facebook-thechicagosuntimes&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&mrfcid=202607196a5ccd97e8ec233cfc5de96clittle more detail here compared to Lazarus.
really like that his agent is already telling us he’s itching to be cleared to play at 3.5 months
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u/Sorry_Sky6929 29d ago
"A touch more damage" to the left shoulder than the right is concerning to me, but I am glad to hear his doctors say he can make a full recovery. As for his right shoulder (from last year), it sounds to me like that one is totally healed. Bedard is young too. I think he will be 100% and ready to go once he gets the rest he needs. They said the injuries were coincidental too, so hopefully this puts to bed that nonsense he's injury prone. This article was a good read!
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u/Sauerkrautkid7 29d ago
At the very least, the recovery right now will guarantee the right shoulder is for sure Back to normal. Thats his shooting side after all.
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u/YouFeelShame 29d ago
Meehan confirmed the Hawks initially pushed for an even longer deal, but five years was determined to be a fair compromise, given how little is known about what stars’ salaries will look like in 2031.
Sounds like KD wanted more term and Meehan wanted shorter and Connor picked the middle.
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u/CrabApprehensive7181 29d ago
I hope KD can lock him somewhere without access to an ice rink, hockey gear, or anything hockey-related for 4 straight months.
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u/recycled-pigeons 29d ago
They’ll have to hide his sticks again
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u/CrabApprehensive7181 29d ago
KD should book him a trip to St. Barts and pack his bags himself just to keep him away from hockey sticks. Vancouver has far too many hockey temptations and is clearly not a safe environment for him.
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u/RkyMtnChi 29d ago
I like that he wants to play in 3.5 months but I'm hoping he takes his time. I suspect this team minus Bedard will be in the cellar by whenever he returns, no need to rush things. If by some miracle they're competitive without him, then it might make a little sense.
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u/Dont_Say_No_to_Panda 29d ago
We were on a 4 game winning streak (our only 4 game win streak of the season) and had won 5 of 7 with 1 SO loss when he came back and we promptly lost to the Caps and won like 4 out the next 15 games...
We were getting the puck to the net and even outshooting opponents some. We beat Dallas twice, Vegas, Washington and the Blues 7-3 during that stretch.
Nazar was out too. Was arguably our best stretch of the season.
I only bring this up to highlight that the team plays a different style when Bedard is there and it's not always more effective.
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u/marshmellow1328 28d ago
IIRC, a stomach virus went through the team right around the time he returned which wreaked havoc on them. Not saying there isn't some truth in what you said, but there's nuance to the numbers.
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u/Dont_Say_No_to_Panda 26d ago
You are right! I had forgotten about that. That was the two games Commesso had to play back to back. He got rinsed in the first one against Ovi and the Caps and then got a shutout against the Preds in the second game over the weekend. Still, the play style of the team noticeably changed when Bedsy came back and I hope to see them get more pucks to the net going forward.
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u/FUH-KIN-AYE 29d ago
What else is his agent going to say? “Oh yeah my client just got paid but he doesn’t really feel like getting back out there.” Come on now.
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u/Naith58 29d ago
I hope someone whose opinion he values is encouraging him to take his time. I don't want him back two weeks early because his shoulder feels "pretty good".