Rookie's fractured jaw is still "settling down," per coach Luke Richardson. No word either on Nick Foligno, who has broken finger from fight.
Blackhawks coach Luke Richardson doesn't yet have a timetable for the treatment and projected recovery of rookie center Connor Bedard, who suffered a fractured jaw from an open-ice hit in a game against the Devils in New Jersey on Friday.
Speaking to reporters before Sunday's game against the Calgary Flames in Chicago, Richardson said the 18-year-old Bedard's condition was still being evaluated and his injury was still "settling down."
"It's swollen so I think the doctor is just giving it a few days to see how it settles," said Richardson, a former NHL defenseman for 21 seasons who suffered a broken jaw himself while playing with Columbus.
Both Bedard and veteran forward Nick Foligno, who sustained a fractured left finger on Friday, were placed on injured reserve on Saturday.
Blackhawks de facto captain Nick Foligno fights Devils defenseman Brendan Smith in New Jersey on Friday.Richardson also didn't have an update on Foligno, Chicago's 36-year-old de facto captain.
"It's not this week for sure," Richardson said. "I know he's going to want to battle and play, but I think with those things if you can't grip and if you freeze the finger it's sticking out straight and if it get caught it dislocates and creates more problems."
Depleted Chicago
Bedard 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.
Bedard has 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 Sunday, Chicago was without eight injured forwards — Bedard, Foligno, Taylor Hall (right ACL surgery, season), Tyler Johnson (foot), Andreas Athanasiou (groin), Taylor Raddysh (groin), Anthony Beauvillier (left wrist) and Joey Anderson (lower body).
Top defenseman Seth Jones (shoulder) also was still out, but had resumed skating.