Connor Bedard played 69 games last season after a shoulder injury shut him down for part of it. Michael Reaves / Getty ImagesJuly 3, 2026 Updated 1:33 pm EDTChicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard skated off the ice clutching his left arm or shoulder in pain after an awkward fall during a training session at Scotia Barn in Burnaby, B.C., on Thursday.Bedard was working along the boards and slipped while flipping the puck ahead, landing on his shoulder, as seen on video from the training session. There didn’t appear to be any contact from any of the other players on the ice, which included several NHL players who regularly skate together in the Vancouver area in the offseason.A team spokesperson told The Athletic the Blackhawks don’t yet have any “definitive updates” on Bedard’s situation and likely won’t have any official word until at least Monday.
Bedard suffered a right shoulder injury (not the one he appeared to hurt on Thursday) last season while taking a faceoff against the St. Louis Blues on Dec. 12. He missed nearly four weeks with that injury and was restricted from taking faceoffs until after the Olympic break in February.The Blackhawks tendered Bedard a qualifying offer as a restricted free agent on June 30 and have been in negotiations with him over a new contract. He is expected to receive one of the more substantial salary-cap hits of this NHL offseason, far outpacing the six-year, $75-million extension signed Wednesday by newly acquired Bowen Byram.Blackhawks training camp begins in a little more than two months.Jul 3, 2026Connections: Sports EditionSpot the pattern. Connect the termsFind the hidden link between sports terms
