NHL's top rookie scorer joined Nick Foligno and Samuel Savoie for light skate after Chicago's full practice on Monday.
Injured Blackhawks rookie Connor Bedard resumed skating following Chicago's full practice at its training facility on Monday, just 10 days after sustaining a broken jaw and a week after surgery to repair it.
The 18-year-old Bedard joined recovering teammates Nick Foligno (broken left ring finger) and Samuel Savoie (right femur surgery) for a light skate with pucks. Bedard was wearing a full polycarbonate face shield and a jaw/chin reinforcement mounted to this CCM helmet.
Left to right: Bedard, Savoie and Foligno"He's been begging," Blackhawks coach Luke Richardson said. "I think they said it's okay, but he's been given specific instructions. He's not allowed to take slap shots. He's not allowed to really clench (his jaw).
"So if they see that, the might pull the rug out for under him, but I think he's just eager. It'll be good for him to get moving. He just has to be very careful." See following video.
Bedard, the NHL's leading rookie scorer and No. 1 draft pick of 2023, is still expected to miss six to eight weeks with the injury, Richardson said. The center was named to the NHL All-Star Game a day before being hurt.
Bedard leads all first-year NHLers and Chicago with 15 goals and 33 points. He suffered the broken jaw on an open-ice hit by Devils defenseman Brendan Smith late in the first period of a 4-2 loss in New Jersey on on Jan. 5.
The 36-year-old Foligno broke his finger fighting Smith in the second period of the game in a response for "targeting our best player."
On Saturday, Foligno said Bedard was "dying" being away from the rink.
Bedard heads out on the ice at the Fifth Third Arena."It's pretty funny," Foligno said. "The trainers are like, 'Hey, you gotta' kind of help us. He's not going to listen to us. You've got to keep him at bay a little here.
"That's who he is and and that's why you love him. I'm sure he'll come back an even better version of himself, which is a scary thought."
Nothing Like Magnuson's Iconic Look
Bedard darted past reporters in the dressing room and to the ice. But he looks nothing like late Keith Magnuson did after the former Blackhawks defenseman's jaw was broken in two places by the New York Rangers Brad Park's slap shot in April 1973. See the iconic photo.
The late Keith Magnuson after suffering his broken jaw in 1973.Richardson's jaw also was fractured by a slap shot, in a game as a Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman in 2005 off shot by Dallas' Jon Klemm. Richardson didn't offer an exact description of Bedard's condition, but suggested it wasn't as severe as what he and Magnuson sustained.
"I think it's not completely wired shut, but I think it's elastic bands on it," Richardson said. "So there's very minimal amount of movement."
Richardson added he had not yet been informed if the NHL would name a substitute Chicago representative for the All-Star game on Feb. 3 in Toronto, or if Bedard would attend the event in some capacity.