Chicago Blackhawks star Connor Bedard's recent injury casts doubt on his readiness for the Olympics. But should he be left off the Canadian roster altogether as a result?
The Chicago Blackhawks received relatively good news this week when star center Connor Bedard's injury was reported to be less severe than first feared.
Bedard, who was injured last Friday at the end of a game against the St. Louis Blues, suffered an upper-body injury, but the Hawks said this week he would miss the next two weeks and be re-evaluated at the beginning of the calendar year. It could've been considerably worse for Chicago's best player, but Bedard will still likely play again for the Blackhawks this season.
Unfortunately, the timeline of Bedard's injury clouds the picture regarding his potential participation in Team Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympics. The Canadians are scheduled to reveal their Olympic roster on New Year's Eve, so uncertainty about Bedard's return could impact his availability at the Games in February.
TSN insiders Darren Dreger and Chris Johnston said Bedard's promising campaign opened eyes, but it may not be enough to earn a spot on the team. He may be an option if other injuries arise.
However, we think Bedard should still be named to Canada's roster. He's done more than enough to warrant inclusion on the Canadian team, as his 19 goals and 44 points in 31 games have him seventh in league scoring.
Bedard has been every bit the needle-moving player. Although he's significantly behind Team Canada's top centers – Nathan MacKinnon, Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby – Bedard deserves the opportunity to play a supporting role and establish himself as an impact player on the international stage.
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If Bedard can't return to full strength in time for the Olympics, the Canadians will get to name an injury replacement for him. It's that straightforward and that simple. But leaving Bedard off the team would be a slight and an unforced error by Canada's management team.
At 20 years old, Bedard will be a fixture on Team Canada for many Olympics, World Cups of Hockey and every other elite championship team in the short- and long-term future. This is one of the reasons he should be on Canada's roster at the upcoming Olympic Games. The more he elevates his game around world-class talent, the better he'll be at the NHL and international levels.
Bedard's vision for the game is a foundational component Canada should want as much of as possible. Thus, bringing him aboard in 2026 is something that ought to be a no-brainer.
It's going to be a rough couple of weeks for Bedard as he tries to get back in action as soon as possible. But when it comes to the Canadian roster, he absolutely needs to be on it. Bedard is a rising star, and you don't turn away a rising star when you're trying to outlast stars from every other nation at a high-stakes game of winner-take-all.
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