Connor Bedard re-signs with Blackhawks, ending hopes for another NHL offer sheet this offseason
He may be missing the start of the upcoming NHL season due to a shoulder injury, but Connor Bedard will remain in Chicago for years to come.
The Blackhawks announced Saturday that they had signed Bedard to a five-year deal worth $15 million annually.
This will allow Blackhawks fans to breathe a sigh of relief.
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Bedard remained a restricted free agent last season after completing the final season of his rookie deal. This meant the Blackhawks had exclusive rights to negotiate a new deal with him.
This should never have been an issue, but offer sheets have been in the news a lot this season after the Philadelphia Flyers gave Anaheim Ducks star Leo Carlsson a massive $18 million-a-year deal.
Connor Bedard and the Chicago Blackhawks agreed to a five-year extension with an AAV of $15 million. (Brad Penner-Imagn Images)
This meant the Ducks had to either match or lose Carlsson for draft compensation. They eventually matched, but that leaves them behind for other RFAs they need to sign, like Cutter Gauthier and Beckett Sennecke.
Bedard would be an offer sheet target, and while he would have to accept it, it was in the Blackhawks’ best interest to work out an extension as soon as possible and lock up the franchise’s most important piece.
And I think this is a deal that both parties will be happy with.
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Bedard’s NHL career has been a bit up and down due to injury, but when he came to the NHL he showed the kind of greatness people expected.
The Blackhawks selected Connor Bedard with the first pick in the 2023 NHL Draft. (Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images)
Considering Carlsson’s $18 million AAV, Chicago should be pleased to be able to acquire Bedard for $15 million AAV.
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Now Bedard will need to put up the numbers to justify the deal. According to Puckpedia, the agreement includes a complete no-action clause only in the fifth and final year of the agreement.
That means if things don’t work out for some reason, the Blackhawks can deal with him without going through the headache of having him waive his no-move clause or not agree to a trade.
