Connor Bedard’s Extension Countdown: What’s Holding Up the Chicago Blackhawks Star’s Big Deal?

When it comes to Connor Bedard and the Chicago Blackhawks, the buzz around a contract extension is swirling—but don’t hold your breath just yet. Frank Seravalli recently weighed in, suggesting both the player and the team might be in no hurry to seal the deal before the upcoming season unfolds. It’s as if they want to watch Bedard light up the ice one more time before making any long-term commitments. And honestly, who could blame them? After all, the kid’s been dazzling fans with jaw-dropping moves—like that insane no-look backhand spinorama during a recent pro skate in Vancouver—and whispers abound that he’s revamped his skating and approach for the NHL grind. With talks on the sidelines debating whether Bedard’s next payday will be influenced by his teammate Frank Nazar’s extension, the coming months promise plenty of intrigue. I can’t wait to see how this all plays out on the ice and between the negotiation tables. LEARN MORE

Is a Connor Bedard Extension Coming with the Chicago Blackhawks?

Bleacher Report Youtube: Frank Seravalli was asked if a deal between the Chicago Blackhawks and Connor Bedard would look like?

NHLRumors.com Transcriptions

“I don’t think it is. I think that they’re probably going to be pretty content starting the season and seeing what things look like, seeing what kind of start Connor Bedard gets off to. If you’ve been watching any of the social media clips, I don’t know if you saw this, but there was a ridiculous backhand, no look backhand spinorama that Bedard had in a I guess you’d call it a pro skate, probably in Vancouver on Wednesday or Thursday, like he has done some things with that release and that shot that have been unbelievable.

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And I’m really looking forward to seeing how Bedard has retooled his game. There have been some whispers that Bedard has really worked on his skating, perhaps changing on some of his angling as well, things that worked for him, that he never really had to touch being such a superstar at the WHL level that getting to the NHL things don’t happen as easily or exactly as you planned, so sometimes you have to change it up.

I think he needed some help with some skating mechanics. He needed a fresh start, mindset-wise and attitude-wise, and I’m hoping that he got that this summer, and I think you could see a totally different Connor Bedard on the ice for the Chicago Blackhawks this fall.

And I really hope that he gets back to or establishes himself in the NHL for the first time. A shoot-first mentality. I think his release second only to Auston Matthews. I think it’s that good. I know clip it, save it, hot take. I think Bedard’s release is that good, but somewhere along the line, he came up with this thought process, or was told I’m a playmaker, or thought I’m a playmaker. No, no, you can be both, but you can also be a shooting threat.

I would love to see more of that for a team that certainly needs more goal scoring.”

Earlier in Seravalli’s segment on Bleacher Report, when discussing Frank Nazar’s contract extension with the Chicago Blackhawks, he wondered what that contract does for Bedard and the Hawks in terms of negotiations.

NHLRumors.com Transcriptions

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“He was eligible to sign an extension as of July 1. That hasn’t happened yet. I think both sides seem pretty content in sitting back and waiting to see how this all important third year plays out after a bit of a disappointing sophomore season. Does this 6.6 number for Frank Nazar, given that he kind of outplayed Connor Bedard, does that suppress Bedards next contract, if he was thinking in the $9 to $10 million range, if he’s going long term?

Does this push that number down? Hard to say, because again, there’s a real likelihood that Bedard is going to play this out and see how year three goes before signing that deal. There’s no rush to do it from either end. It’s going to be a really interesting conversation, because Nazar has now put a number on the table.”

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