Connor Bedard signs 5-year, $75M deal with Blackhawks
Connor Bedard has signed a five-year, $75 million contract with the Chicago Blackhawks, securing a $15 million average annual value that runs through the 2030-31 season. The agreement was announced Saturday, one day after the star center turned 21, keeping the franchise cornerstone locked in for Chicago's rebuild.
Key Takeaways
- Bedard agreed to a five-year, $75 million extension with a $15 million AAV, per NHL.com.
- The deal ranks third in the NHL by AAV behind Leo Carlsson ($18 million) and Kirill Kaprizov ($17 million).
- It covers four restricted free-agent seasons plus one unrestricted year, keeping him in Chicago through 2030-31.
- Bedard will miss the start of 2026-27 after left-shoulder surgery and is expected back in early November.
- The 2023 No. 1 pick has led the Blackhawks in points in each of his first three NHL seasons.
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How much will Connor Bedard earn under the new deal?
The contract totals $75 million over five years, with an average annual value of $15 million. That figure makes Bedard the third-highest-paid player in the league by AAV entering the coming season.
According to reporting from The Athletic, the extension buys out only one year of unrestricted free agency. Bedard will be eligible to test the open market after the 2030-31 season, when he will still be in his mid-20s.
Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson praised the signing in a team statement, saying Bedard has "quickly established himself as an elite player in the NHL" and set a standard for Chicago's young core.
Why does this signing matter for the Blackhawks?
Bedard was the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft and has been the face of Chicago's rebuild. He has 203 points (75 goals, 128 assists) in 219 regular-season games and won the 2024 Calder Trophy as NHL rookie of the year.
Last season he posted career highs with 75 points (30 goals, 45 assists) in 69 games, leading the Blackhawks in scoring for a third straight year. As a restricted free agent, he had been eligible to sign a new deal with Chicago since July 1, 2025.
The Athletic noted the pact completes a major piece of Davidson's long-term plan. Offer-sheet talk intensified after Carlsson's matched $18 million deal with Anaheim, but Chicago got Bedard done without that drama.
When will Bedard return after shoulder surgery?
The Blackhawks announced on July 8 that Bedard will miss the start of the season after surgery on his left shoulder. He is expected to return in early November.
He also missed 12 games last season with an upper-body injury sustained Dec. 12 at St. Louis. Even with that setback, he remained Chicago's top producer and a rising leadership voice after being named an alternate captain following deadline trades.
With Bedard locked up, the next question for the Blackhawks is how quickly they can surround him with enough talent to turn the next five years into a true contention window.