Chicago Blackhawks star Connor Bedard skated off the ice in obvious pain after suffering an injury on the final play of Friday’s game against the St. Louis Blues.
The injury occurred when Bedard, the top pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, took an offensive zone faceoff against Blues captain Brayden Schenn with less than a second on the clock and the Blues leading 3-2. Schenn made contact with Bedard, who fell back onto the ice and immediately grabbed at his right shoulder area.
Blackhawks coach Jeff Blashill said Bedard would not play in Chicago’s game Saturday against the Detroit Red Wings, and described the injury as a ‘freak accident,’ according to the Chicago Sun-Times. The coach also indicated the team would have a further update on Monday.
Bedard, who was named the 2023-24 rookie of the year, has been performing like the generational prospect he was hyped to be before the 2023 draft. The 20-year-old has 44 points in 31 games, and his two-assist night Friday moved him into a tie for third in the league in points with 2024 No. 1 pick Macklin Celebrini.
The Blackhawks and their fans are now holding their breath. At 13-12-6, Chicago is currently only one point out of a playoff spot, but that’s unlikely to last if Bedard misses significant time.
The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.