The Chicago Blackhawks have a lot invested in their top forward, Connor Bedard. They selected him with the first overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft with the expectation that he would be their franchise cornerstone. 

Now, Bedard is three years into his NHL career, and there are many things that must be sorted out. For one, he hurt his shoulder during a summer practice, and there is still no update from the team on his status. 

Two, he is a restricted free agent with no contract going into 2026-27. There is no way to know if the injury is going to impact that, or if there will be news on it before training camp begins in September. 

A rumor has also swirled that the Philadelphia Flyers actually sent an offer sheet to Connor Bedard before Leo Carlsson signed his offer sheet for five years and $18 million per, but Bedard declined to sign it. That, however, is not confirmed and nothing more than a rumor at this point. 

If that were true, it would be a great sign that he is loyal to the Chicago Blackhawks organization under any circumstances. 

On Tuesday, new Blackhawks forward Cole Smith spoke to the local media for the first time, and he said something about Bedard that also speaks to his dedication to being a loyal leader on the team. 

"(Bedard) sent me a text, which is pretty cool from a young guy," Smith said of his new teammate. "(I'm) looking forward to meeting him, seeing what makes him tick."

The fact that Bedard was willing to quickly send a text message to new Blackhawks teammates shows leadership and a desire to make these guys comfortable. He has no obligation to do so, especially being a 20-year-old currently sitting with no contract. 

Moves like this not only make it clear that he wants to be a member of the organization that drafted him, but also that he wants to be the captain. He wore an "A" full-time after the trade deadline, and his actions support that decision. It may become a "C" once the pen hits the paper. 

During the 2025-26 season, Bedard had 30 goals and 45 assists for 75 points in 69 games played. He also looked like a player who was faster and stronger for most of the campaign. His mid-season shoulder injury slowed him down a tad, but there is no denying that he is blossoming into one of the elite centers in the game. 

Part of his getting better has to do with the training that he puts in during the off-season. He avoided the World Championships with Canada twice now in favor of preparing for the upcoming NHL season.

He hurt his shoulder (again) this time around, but it was all in an attempt to get better. He clearly wants to be elite. Every other player is more likely to put in the necessary work to improve if the team's best player is doing the same thing. 

With Bedard's skill comes a bit of leadership responsibility, and he is warming to the task in a big way. At this point, there is no reason to question his desire to be a great leader on and off the ice for the Chicago Blackhawks. 

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