Connor Bedard Pushed the Envelope, Blackhawks Bosses for Return Against Penguins and Sidney Crosby

Connor Bedard wasn't supposed to return to a full-contact practice, then a game until next week.

But as usual, the Chicago Blackhawks 18-year-old rookie wasn't patient. 

Bedard was back in the lineup on Thursday night against Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins for his first contest since suffering a broken jaw on Jan. 5 in New Jersey.

Following a thumbs-up scan of his jaw and a meeting with doctors on Wednesday, Bedard conferred immediately with coach Luke Richardson, general manager Kyle Davidson and associate GM Norm Maciver.

"I was actually ready to leave the rink yesterday, it was late in the afternoon," Richardson said. "I met with Kyle and Norm and we met with Connor after his appointment.

"We talked about if you need another full practice and come in on Saturday (versus Ottawa), and it was 'no.'

"And we said you have to go through a morning skate with some contract drills and some battle drills and he was fully ready for that.

"Kyle did say that, you know, you've got to be truthful and if you feel a bit of a shyness, and obviously for me to be out there and watch to see if there's anything."  See the following video.

Bedard went through a full-contact skate with a handful of players and Richardson on Thursday morning. The Blackhawks didn't have a regular game-day skate following a demanding practice on Wednesday.

At 5 p.m., Richardson announced Bedard would play on a line with Nick Foligno and Philipp Kurashev against the Penguins. Bedard was primed for another matchup with childhood idol Sidney Crosby this season, after all. He made his NHL debut in Pittsburgh on Oct. 10, posting an assist in a 4-2 Blackhawks win.

Bedard had been skating in non-contact skating drills for several weeks, and flying earlier this week. Thursday's hastily arranged session put Bedard over the hump in a hurry.

"He didn't feel like he was shying away from anything," Richardson said. "He got to the front of the net in battle drills and he looked fine.

"He looked like himself and he's eager to go."

Richardson, a rugged defenseman in the NHL for 21 seasons, suffered a broken jaw himself with Columbus when he was struck by a slapshot. The Chicago coach said he had no apprehensions for Bedard, who sustained a less gruesome fracture on an open-ice hit by Devils defenseman Brendan Smith in New Jersey.

"He's played in the game half the year at the NHL level," Richardson said. "He knows what it is out there, so he's ready to face that tonight."  See the following video.

Despite missing 14-plus games, Bedard is still tied with Minnesota defenseman Brock Faber for the NHL rookie scoring lead with 33 points. Bedard's 15 goals still are tops among first-year players, one more than than the Wild's Marco Rossi.

Both Faber and Rossi have played in 53 games. Bedard's been in 39.

Richardson said he planned on using the rookie without restrictions. The Chicago coach added Bedard's speed, strength and conditioning were in excellent shape. 

The rookie phenom has been able to eat solid food for a couple of weeks and hasn't lost much, if any, weight. Bedard, however, will continue to wear a full polycarbonate face shield.