The Chicago Blackhawks finally got star rookie Connor Bedard back from injury. Bedard returned on Thursday when Chicago took on Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins. He suffered a fractured jaw when he took a hit from New Jersey Devils defenseman Brendan Smith back in early January.
Now, the Blackhawks rookie has provided his perspective on the hit that put him on the shelf. He addressed the hit shortly after his return from injury. “Just making an entry and the puck kind of bounced and went forward,” Bedard recalled, via NHL.com. “I saw him, but I thought I’d finish the play and kick it out.”
The hit certainly looked bad on video. That said, Bedard isn’t blaming anyone for what happened. In fact, he doesn’t believe the hit was as bad as some believed it to be. “Wasn’t really a hard hit, it was clean,” the Blackhawks rookie said, via NHL.com.
“It just kind of got me in a spot where it happened to break my jaw. Maybe bail out on the play, but in the moment, you just want to make the play. Unfortunate that was the result,” Bedard continued, via NHL.com.
Connor Bedard speaks on Blackhawks return
Bedard received clearance the day before he faced the Penguins. However, Chicago head coach Luke Richardson and his staff wanted their 18-year-old star to take contact before returning to play. He practiced on Thursday and was in the lineup later that night against Pittsburgh.
Bedard joked that he was personally hoping to return earlier than he did. But overall, he understood the importance of remaining patient despite his urge to resume playing. “Obviously you’ve got to be safe and smart, and we’ve got good people working (here) and I trust them. They told me I was ready to go today, and I was excited,” the Blackhawks star rookie said, via NHL.com.
Connor Bedard has two points in two games since his return to the ice. And the Blackhawks couldn’t be happier to see the 2023 first-overall pick back in the lineup. He should certainly provide a major boost for Chicago as the 2023-24 NHL season enters the final stretch.
More must-reads: