Once bitten, the Chicago Blackhawks are twice shy. After being re-assured of how much they need Connor Bedard to be healthy, Jeff Blashill and the Hawks have taken a firm stance on how the former first overall pick in the NHL will be utilized.
After a 12-game absence that felt like forever, Bedard finally returned to the Blackhawks lineup during a 5–1 loss to the Washington Capitals. Shockingly, it was with him on the ice that Chicago’s four-game winning streak came to an abrupt end.
However, there is no doubt in anyone’s mind that the Hawks are a much scarier team when the 20-year-old North Vancouver star is active. Chicago’s 5–6–1 record without Bedard this season indicates just that. Now, in order to ensure Bedard never misses another game, Blashill and company have made a drastic decision: Bedard is being barred from the faceoff dot.
“Blashill said Bedard will continue not taking any draws ‘for the foreseeable future‘,” as reported by Chicago Sun-Times. The coaching decision has been issued to protect the wonderkid who injured his shoulder on Dec. 12, 2025 in a last-second faceoff against the St. Louis Blues. Though cleared for NHL action, Chicago believes it’s best for Bedard to be kept on the wing when the puck is dropped.
Precautionary approach to Bedard’s injury
During the loss to the Capitals, Bedard was initially played on the wing. However, Blashill did instruct him to return to his center position occasionally. One thing was clear, though, Bedard would take no part in faceoffs.
Instead, fellow youngsters Oliver Moore and Ryan Greene took turns replacing Bedard at the dot during faceoffs. Based on Blashill’s postgame comments this trend will continue for the upcoming games in the 2025-26 NHL season—if not the campaign entirely.
Olympic dream
Though being left off Team Canada’s roster for the 2026 Olympics broke Bedard’s heart, there is a still a slim chance for him to join the Maple Leaf in Milan. As long as the door is the tiniest bit open, Bedard will remain hopeful. On that note, being preserved by his organization could be both a blessing as a burden.
On the one hand, Bedard would avoid re-aggravating his shoulder injury by being left off faceoffs. However, that could also be seen by Team Canada GM Doug Armstrong and head coach Jon Cooper as a sign that he is not fully healthy.
If it came down to it, the Canadian team may have to resort to a last-minute option, and a Bedard who can’t be trusted to win faceoffs—an area he blossomed in during the year—could be the deciding factor between calling him up or resorting to another candidate. Needless to say, Canada can put together a gold-medal–caliber roster entirely made up of players currently set to miss the Olympics, so options abound for Team Canada.