Next Monday, Feb. 19, will make it six weeks since the NHL's leading rookie scorer had surgery for a broken jaw. Coach Luke Richardson said the 18-year-old center is progressing as expected on a six-to-eight week recovery schedule
Blackhawks rookie Connor Bedard could be back skating in contact drills in as little as a week — followed by games — coach Luke Richardson said on Monday.
Bedard was still in a green non-contact jersey at practice, but Richardson told reporters the rookie was moving closer to a return on schedule. That had been projected at six to eight weeks after the 18-year-old suffered a broken jaw on an open-ice hit in New Jersey on Friday, Jan. 5 and then underwent surgery to stabilize the injury in Chicago the following Monday.
"We're hoping after that six weeks mark, so that would be week from today, I guess," Richardson said.
Bedard jumps into a line rush drill.Bedard, still the NHL's leading rookie scorer entering Monday, has been ramping up his training and is now darting in and out of line rushes, skating, shooting and other drills with teammates when shoving and banging isn't part of the activity.
Bedard had been visiting doctors on Mondays, but this week the appointment was postponed. That seemed to be a good sign.
"I think they just thought everything was on course, so I think maybe later in the week or early next week is probably when they're kind of targeting for hopefully the last (appointment)," Richardson said. "They just said it was kind of useless to take another image with radiation.
"Like, why bother? Everything was on pace and it looks to be on the same timeline. We're just going to leave it in the doctors' hands until next Monday to kind of go from there." See following video.
Richardson said Bedard will needs several full-contact practice sessions to re-acclimate himself to physical play before competing in a game.
Richardson, however, stopped well short of predicting an exact or hoped return date for Bedard when he was asked if it might be by the time the Blackhawks host Detroit and Patrick Kane on Feb. 25. The team also will retire Chris Chelios' No. 7 jersey before that game in what's expected to be an big ceremony.
Masked Man
Once Bedard does return, he's expected to keep wearing a full polycarbonate face shield for awhile.
"I don't know how long, but until he feels comfortable and the doctors feel comfortable that no big impact, like an errant puck or anything like that," Richardson said. "He doesn't need anything like that for sure."
Bedard will be one of the faces of the NHL for along time. With his face shield and helment off, chatted with Auston Matthews at the NHL All-Star skills competition in Toronto.One thing is certain: Bedard won't be rushed back before he's cleared medically. As anxious as the rookie has been to play again, it makes no sense to risk the long-term health of hockey's "next generational talent."
Bedard had been chomping at the bit to return — and even told TSN at the NHL All-Star Game he'd already be playing again if it were up to him. But he's backed down a bit.
"I think that was just hard for him to accept at the beginning, but he's been great lately," Richardson said. "I think he's calmed down and realized that he's got to go through this process."
And can be tough time of the season to come back, especially for a rookie, added Richardson, a rugged defenseman over 21 NHL seasons. Teams are playing at their hardest as they fight for points entering the regular-season stretch run. See the following video.