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Bedard suffers brutal injury playing pick-up hockey in Vancouver

Colton Pankiw
Colton Pankiw
|
Jul 8 2026, 9:20 pm
Bedard suffers brutal injury playing pick-up hockey in Vancouver
David Gonzales/Imagn Images

The Chicago Blackhawks are going to begin the 2026-27 season with their best player watching from the press box.

Last Thursday, a video of Connor Bedard appearing to suffer an injury at a summer skate quickly went viral. The Blackhawks forward, who was skating at Scotia Barns (also known as 8 Rinks) in Burnaby, appeared to catch a rut during a half-ice drill. He went down in a heap before heading off the ice, clutching at his shoulder the entire time.

The injury appeared to be a serious one, leaving Blackhawks fans holding their breath while awaiting the news. That news finally came out on Wednesday morning, and it isn’t what the organization or fan base had hoped to hear.

“This morning, Connor Bedard underwent successful surgery to repair his left shoulder,” the Blackhawks wrote in a statement. “We expect him to make a full recovery in an approximate timeline of four months.”

Based on that timeline, it is likely that he will miss roughly six weeks of the regular season. That’s particularly tough news for a Blackhawks team that has struggled immensely in recent years, even with the 20-year-old in the lineup.

It’s also disappointing for Bedard, who has struggled with injuries early in his NHL career. He was sidelined for 12 games in 2025-26 with a right shoulder injury, and also missed time in his rookie season with a broken jaw.

Bedard, who scored 30 goals and 75 points this past season, is currently an RFA. He’s expected to get a monstrous deal after Leo Carlsson’s five-year, $90-million offer sheet is signed with the Philadelphia Flyers.

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