Connor Bedard, the NHL's top draft pick in 2023, is expected to make his "Blackhawks pre--debut" on a squad with fellow Chicago youngsters next weekend in St. Paul, Minnesota.
The Blackhawks and Connor Bedard will skate in the Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase, an event with games opening on Friday, Sept. 15, at the TRIA Rink in the Treasure Island Center in downtown St. Paul, Minnesota.
The showcase, named for late NHL defenseman from Minneapolis, will include youngsters from the Blackhawks and Minnesota Wild for the third straight season. The St. Louis Blues prospects will join the event for 2023 and face off against the Wild's group in the opening game on Friday, Sept. 15 at 7 p.m. CT.
The squad of Blackhawks kids, likely including the 18-year-old Bedard, meets Blues prospects on Saturday, Sept. 16 at 6 p.m. Squads from Chicago and Minnesota conclude the event with a game on Sunday, Sept. 17 at 3 p.m.
The event will mark the first time Bedard has skated competitively against an opponent as a member of the Blackhawks organization. It's not yet known if Bedard will skate in both games.
The Blackhawks groups will first practice at the Fifth Third Arena in Chicago on Wednesday, Sept. 13, before traveling to the Twin Cities on Friday afternoon. Chicago's roster for the showcase will be announced before that initial practice. Rockford IceHogs coach Anders Sorensen and his staff will oversee the players.
Tickets to Blackhawks-Blues game on Saturday are free and available to the public at https://am.ticketmaster.com/wild/23tkshowcase. They were going fast, however, and the TRIA Rink seats only 1,200. The game on Sunday is offered exclusively to Wild Season Ticket Members, but it will be streamed live on the Wild's YouTube channel, https://www.youtube.com/@mnwild
.