Blackhawks Connor Bedard Goes on IR With Fractured Jaw

NHL leading rookie scorer Connor Bedard suffered a fractured jaw in the Blackhawks 4-2 loss at New Jersey Friday and will be out for an undetermined period.

Both Bedard and veteran forward Nick Foligno, who sustained a fractured left finger in the game, were placed on injured reserve on Saturday.

Bedard, who was named to the NHL All-Star on Thursday, was hurt in the first period against the Devils when he took a hit to the face from defenseman Brendan Smith and didn't return. Foligno was injured fighting Smith in the second period.

Following practice in Chicago, coach Luke Richardson didn't have information on the exact extent of Bedard's injury or a timely for his return. He expected to learn more by Sunday as Bedard was seeing doctors while the dwindling number of healthy players on the badly depleted Blackhawks skated Saturday.

Richardson said he hadn't had a chance to talk to Bedard other than a quick exchange with the 18-year-old center after the first period in New Jersey.

"I just asked him if he was okay," Richardson said. "He just kind of just looked at me like he was okay, but he's not okay. I don't know really how his he is."

But Richardson, a rugged NHL defenseman for 21 seasons, hinted Bedard could be out for weeks.

The Blackhawks second-year coach sustained a far nastier broken jaw himself from a slapshot while playing for Columbus. Richardson said his jaw "broke right in half" and he required surgery that included two plates and 15 screws.

"I was out wired for just about five-and-half weeks," Richardson said. "So everybody's a little bit different and every break's a little different.

"It (Richardson's) was a pretty severe one, but you know what, you recover and end up being more like the bionic man every day when you have more plates and screws in you.

"But he's obviously not the player I was. He's a skilled player and that, but you come back fine."

Bedard's injury wasn't nearly as grisly, but Richardson thought the rookie would still face the prospect of having his jaw wired or immobilized. Bedard may be able to skate on his own before too long, but need added protection when he returns to full practice and then play.

"You're obviously worried at the beginning, especially if it's your first real big injury like that," Richardson said. "But when you get through it, it's just like anything it makes you stronger because you realize your body is very resilient and come back.

Bedard's Injury

With Chicago on a power play, Bedard entered the New Jersey zone just to the right side of the slot. The puck was sliding off the rookie's stick as he skated between Erik Haula and Dawson Mercer.

Smith stepped up and decked Bedard with a shoulder to the mouth area. Bedard fell to the ice, then popped up and skated straight to the dressing room at 10:49 of the opening frame.

Foligno exited the game after fighting Smith in the second period.

Smith was assessed a minor roughing penalty. Foligno, who tussled with him in a response, got a double-minor.

Foligno, the Blackhawks 36-year-old de facto captain, then squared off with Smith in a fight at 5:04 of the second.

Foligno issued the challenge to Smith from a faceoff seconds after Chicago rookie defenseman Alex Vlasic dropped his gloves with New Jersey's Nathan Bastian. Mercer and Blackhawks forward Ryan Donato were assessed roughing penalties in the skirmish.

 Bedard entered with 15 goals and 33 assists, both NHL-leading totals for rookies, in 38 games. The NHL's top draft pick of 2023, Bedard became the youngest player named to the league's All-Star game on Thursday.

Bedard entered Friday in a slump along with his depleted team. The rookie had just one point, an assist, in his last four games. Chicago's loss to the Devils was its fifth straight (0-4-1) and 11th in 13 games (2-10-1).

Heading into Friday, Chicago was already without six injured forwards — Taylor Hall (right ACL surgery, season), Tyler Johnson (foot), Andreas Athanasiou (groin), Taylor Raddysh (groin), Anthony Beauvillier (left wrist) and Joey Anderson (lower body) — and top defenseman Seth Jones (shoulder).

Raddysh, Anderson and Jones skated as a seperate group following practice on Saturday.