Though still a teenager, NHL star Connor Bedard is already the face of a franchise and several major companies.
Bedard signed another significant endorsement deal on Tuesday — this time with Gatorade Canada.
Coming off a Calder Trophy win, the Chicago Blackhawks centre will join a roster of Gatorade’s “elite” sponsored athletes, which includes fellow NHLer Sidney Crosby, Hayley Wickenheiser, Marie-Philip Poulin, Andre DeGrasse, Leylah Fernandez, Aurélie Rivard, and Kia Nurse.
The campaign was introduced with a video featuring the high-scoring forward ripping shots on a net holding a Gatorade bottle.
View this post on Instagram
“I’m proud to join the Gatorade family and grateful for the opportunity to be a part of a team that helps fuel some of the best athletes in the world,” the Vancouver native said in a Tuesday press release. “Like so many kids who grew up playing hockey, Gatorade has been a part of my journey from day one. Gatorade is committed to excellence and is passionate about sports at all levels – I am really looking forward to working together.”
While still on an entry-level contract ($950,000 cap hit) with the Blackhawks, Bedard recently partnered with CIBC and has already collected a handful of major sponsorships just one year into his NHL career.
Shortly after being chosen first overall by Chicago in 2023, Hyundai revealed that Bedard had joined their roster of brand ambassadors. On draft day, the player’s family also collaborated with Holt Renfrew.
Even before that, Bedard, who turns 19 on Wednesday, had already secured endorsements with Sher-Wood, Canadian fashion brand Lululemon, and sports drink company BioSteel.
Despite missing nearly six weeks with a fractured jaw he sustained in January, the first-overall pick lived up to the hype in his first NHL campaign, netting 22 goals and 61 points over 68 NHL games in 2023-24.
Follow Channels and Categories