Insider Reveals Shocking Details About Connor Bedard’s Upcoming NHL Contract Negotiations

You can’t help but notice the meteoric rise of Connor Bedard—a once standout teen who’s now carving his name among the NHL’s elite. This season, Bedard’s been lighting the lamp and racking up points in a way that leaves fans and analysts alike wondering just how far he’ll go. All summer, chatter buzzed about his first big payday after the entry-level deal, but once the season kicked off, the noise kinda fizzled out—at least for a while. Fast forward to now, and thanks to some insider scoops from Frank Seravalli on CHSN’s Blackhawks pregame show, those contract rumors are back—and louder than ever. Word is, an eight-year extension could land Bedard a hefty slice of the cap, somewhere between $12.5 and $15 million annually. Sure, July 1st 2026 is the official RFA date, but I can bet Kyle Davidson would rather pin this down well before then, especially with Bedard’s value skyrocketing. The stakes couldn’t be higher, and trust me, this is one negotiation worth watching closely. LEARN MORE

The Chicago Blackhawks are seeing Connor Bedard go from a great teenager to an NHL superstar quickly. He has been amongst the league leaders in points for most of this season now, and shows no sign of slowing down.

During the summer, there was a lot of speculation about what Bedard’s first non-entry-level contract would look like. The conversations surrounding that softened once the puck dropped for the regular season.

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Now, thanks to speculation by NHL Insider Frank Seravalli on CHSN’s Blackhawks pregame show, the talk about it is back. According to Seravalli, if the contract is eight years, it will be a deal that pays him somewhere in the range of $12.5 to $15 million against the cap.

Bedard was eligible for an extension on July 1st, but everyone involved opted to wait. Now, it is going to be a bit more expensive than it would have been back then due to his success on the ice. This will now be a tremendously lucrative contract for a premier player.

On July 1st of 2026, Bedard will become a restricted free agent. Kyle Davidson would almost certainly rather have it done before they reach that point.

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