Chicago Blackhawks rookie center Connor Bedard will miss at least another six weeks of action due to a fractured jaw sustained earlier this month.
Bedard, who was selected with the first overall pick in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, is widely considered to be one of the greatest prospects of his generation.
The 18-year-old suffered the jaw injury when he was checked by New Jersey Devils defenseman Brendan Smith in the first period of Chicago’s 4-2 defeat on the road on January 5.
He left the ice with his hands on his mouth and returned to light on January 16 last week, where he was pictured skating and doing some light shooting while wearing a full face shield.
A close-up of Connor Bedard and his face shield, working with Samuel Savoie after Blackhawks practice. pic.twitter.com/nrPARHhIzD
— Phillip Thompson (@_phil_thompson) January 21, 2024
Coach Luke Richardson didn’t seem overly optimistic regarding Bedard’s chances of a near return, telling reporters the decision on his availability down the line is in the hands of team doctors.
“It was 6-8 weeks at the beginning was what was said so like I don’t know; you’re never going to know, but talk to me in a month,” he said. “He’s not going to be the back by then. There’s no change; it’s the same so I don’t know, six weeks from the start or from now, it’s still in between the timeline.
“He [isn’t] coming back next week, which would be great, but it’s not about him wanting to or not. It’s just about the medical side of things and the doctors will let us know when he’s ready to come back.”
According to NHL sportsbooks, Bedard is the odds-on favorite at a price of -170 to win the Calder Memorial Trophy (Rookie of the Year).
The youngster leads the Blackhawks in points (33), goals (15) and assists (18) this year – making an impressive impact like he was projected to do in the NHL.
