Connor Bedard Isn't Going Anywhere

Once again, Connor Bedard speculation is rearing its head. While I normally ignore this specific narrative (Bedard wanting out of Chicago), I figured I'd work my way through this one. 

On Tuesday's episode of Jeff Marek's podcast The Sheet, Greg Wyshynski said the following, "I think Connor Bedard wants to be on a winning team and if he thinks that this team is being mismanaged to high hell over the next two to three years, I think he's gonna be the guy to be like, get me out of here."

For context, Greg and Jeff had just finished discussing the Seth Jones trade and how Jones did a good job of being vocal about wanting out. Jeff disagreed and provided solid reasons as to why that doesn't make sense. After all, Marek did report that Bedard wasn't going to be traded when he was in the WHL.

This narrative has been running around ever since the lottery ball bounced in the Chicago Blackhawks' favor. So, let's talk about it.

Is it possible that (shudders) Connor Bedard asks out? 

Sure. 

Before you freak out at that answer... let me humor you this.

Yes, it feels like he just got here, but Bedard becomes a Restricted Free Agent (RFA) next summer in 2026, and Kyle Davidson will negotiate his next contract. 

The Blackhawks will most likely still be a bad team during the 2025-26 season, but it will be fun. Bedard will have players closer to his age and hopefully will have a coach who's worth their salt in player development. 

More than anything, the upcoming coaching hire is going to dictate the Blackhawks' future success. More so than Spencer Knight or Connor Bedard.

So, contract time comes, what can Bedard do? As an RFA, Bedard can refuse to sign or take the Blackhawks to arbitration if he doesn't like the offer. The Blackhawks will negotiate with Bedard until a deal is made, which they have until December of that year to do so. A team can offer Bedard a deal, but Chicago can match that offer sheet to retain Bedard's rights.

Let's say Bedard signs (which he will) and the following year, 2026-27, the team is still bad. We're talking 2022-historically bad. Bedard will be frustrated and if he wants out, Greg Wyshyinski is speculating it would probably be around that point that Bedard requests a trade. But, he'll only be 20 years old. He's still going to be young.

Playing devil's advocate, I don't see him requesting a trade until he's 23, if things remain that bad. That will be right when the Blackhawks are "supposed" to be contention ready (2029-30). 

If he wants to win, whatever team is a Stanley Cup contender (I think Vancouver will be rebuilding by then) would have to shell out one hell of a return and have the cap space to sign Bedard. The Hawks, who will have one retention spot with Seth Jones' $2.5 million, won't waste their time eating whatever Bedard's contract is. 

And this is a general manager who is terrified of the salary cap. 

Connor Bedard wants to win. Every hockey player wants to win. Every competitive professional athlete wants to win. As pointed out by Jeff Marek in his show, when Connor Bedard was with the Regina Pats, there was the opportunity to trade him to one of the teams most likely going to the Memorial Cup. Bedard did not want to get traded and elected to stay on a team that was maybe not getting into the playoffs. They did, but got knocked out in the first round. 

I've been critical about Kyle Davidson, but he has a plan. As long as he sticks to it, this team will win games again. Bedard wanting out isn't of the realm of possibility. The good news is, this is an extremely unlikely scenario. Davidson would have to really botch this rebuild for Connor Bedard to want to leave Chicago.