Marc DesRosiers-Imagn Images

Connor Bedard Addresses Future with Blackhawks Before Contract Year

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Antonio Losada | Last updated Jun 26, 2025 8:17 AM ET

Connor Bedard has already shouldered franchise-level expectations as the young face of the Chicago Blackhawks.

Now, with his rookie contract set to expire in 12 months and the soon-to-be third-year player entering his final season under contract, Bedard's future is becoming a topic of growing interest.

The 19-year-old Blackhawks center is eligible to sign an extension starting July 1, and The Athletic's Mark Lazerus asked him about his future in an interview published on Wednesday.

“I’ll keep that pretty close to my chest,” Bedard said about whether or not he's already talked to the Blackhawks about a contract extension. “We have a great relationship, and everyone knows I want to be a Hawk as long as I’m playing. And I know they appreciate me and want me with the team.”

I caught up with Connor Bedard today. We discussed a big revelation about his work habits, his decision to skip Worlds and how it'll affect his Olympic hopes, his next contract and much more.

"Everyone knows I want to be a Hawk as long as I’m playing." https://t.co/6Sr2Dq1Z96
— Mark Lazerus (@MarkLazerus) June 25, 2025

While he didn’t commit to a timeline for signing or declining Chicago's upcoming offer, Bedard made it clear there’s no tension between both sides.

“Whether it’s done next week or during the year or at the end of the year, that doesn’t stress me out too much,” Bedard said. “Anything can happen, but the relationship with me and the team is really strong.”

Bedard will enter his third NHL season coming off his first 82-game campaign, where he notched 67 points. He scored 61 points in 68 games a year before, his first in the league.

The sophomore, however, acknowledged that he's still navigating a learning curve that included inconsistent stints last year.

“There were some gaps in my game for a couple stretches of the season,” Bedard said. “That’s on me to do the right things.”

Still, Bedard has notched 45 goals and 83 assists through 150 games. Bedard’s numbers remain among the most impressive ever posted by a teenager, with the forward ranking 13th in total points among NHL teenagers through history.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: