Connor Bedard notably did not sign an extension with the Blackhawks last offseason, when he was eligible. Frank Nazar re-signed for seven years, and Alex Vlasic re-signed until 2030 when he was eligible. Just what is happening that makes Bedard so unsure about the franchise?
Does he want to re-sign? I think so. Even with the Regina Pats, he didn’t accept a trade to a contender, desiring to be a one-team guy. He wants to do the same with the Blackhawks, too, but the lack of urgency to get him help the last three years likely doesn’t leave a nice taste in his mouth. Even with the collection of talent the team currently has, the desire to put Nazar in lineup purgatory is confusing. Jeff Blashill has arguably caused these guys to take a step back in development, and slowly losing the love for the game. It has been a while since I’ve seencomplete disinterest from the team comparable to what I’ve seen in the last three games at HOME.
Patience is wearing thin, and Kyle Davidson needs to act
Since 2021, Kyle Davidson has been in the coolest seat in the NHL as he rebuilt the Blackhawks. However, five years in, the patience is quickly running out, especially after his comments in 2024 that the team can’t finish bottom-five anymore. Well, the team is picking at least the top four this season yet again, and it’s showing no signs of improvement. Is it time to consider the decision to hire Jeff Blashill a bad one? Potentially, especially when we didn’t know the status of Peter DeBeor and Rick Bowness. But hindsight is always 20/20. And they did have a great start but couldn’t sustain that level.
Bedard looks to have lost some of the love for the game. It obviously isn’t fun to lose, but when the team can’t create any offense, it makes the loss even worse. He had no one who could reliably finish when he would create chances, with Ryan Greene missing a few opportunities to cash in. Andre Burakovsky did absolutely nothing as well, forcing Bedard to deal with all of the attention from the opposition since no one else was a threat.
The Blackhawks need to find Bedard a linemate who can keep up with him soon and prove that they can build a contending team around him. So far, the last three years have been absolute failures, with the San Jose Sharks and Columbus Blue Jackets competing for playoff spots this season. Both were rebuilding at the same time as the Blackhawks, and both have found astounding success following the draft and improvement of their young stars.
It is the moment of reckoning for the Blackhawks, from Bedard’s extension to Kyle Davidson’s summer ahead. He has to retool the defense for starters and find Bedard proper linemates as well. The team needs actual veteran leadership from veteran locker room guys like Pat Maroon and Nick Foligno was for them. The 2026-27 season will be one where the team has to find itself in the playoff picture, or it is time to clear house on both the front office end and the coaching staff.
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