Connor Bedard breaks silence on Blackhawks trades with clear message for teammates and front office

Connor Bedard has only been in the NHL for three seasons. Still, he has been treated to a “Groundhog Day” scenario at every trade deadline, with the Chicago Blackhawks selling off what support once surrounded him.

It has reached a point where the generational talent is beginning to lose his patience with the rebuild process the Blackhawks are in. Bedard made that clear recently with a straightforward message aimed at the organization.

“It’s motivating that this is the last year that we’re in a spot where we’re moving guys that help us win,” Bedard dropped a fiery statement for the Blackhawks to hear, via Ben Pope of Chicago Sun-Times. “That’s a shi— feeling. [We’ll] just try to not let that happen [again].”

Bedard has had enough

While his commitment to the Blackhawks and the city of Chicago isn’t wavering, Bedard is sick and tired of being held back by his organization. Frustration only grows for him as reports indicate Bedard could lose another veteran teammate after Nick Foligno dropped a cryptic comment.

Connor Bedard at Wrigley Field prior to the 2024 NHL Winter Classic

Moreover, watching fellow first-overall picks like Macklin Celebrini and Matthew Schaefer enjoy significant team success right from the get-go must not be a pleasant sight for Bedard. Since he entered the NHL in 2023, his Blackhawks haven’t been close to sniffing the playoffs.

see also

Connor Bedard secures key Blackhawks’ promotion amid revenge tour after Winter Olympics snub

The Blackhawks must not panic just yet, but they should be careful not to frustrate Bedard too much. After all, the franchise savior has yet to sign a contract extension and is trending to become a restricted free agent on July 1st.

Same old (young) Blackhawks

This season, it felt different for Bedard. A hot start to the year had Chicago hoping of a playoff appearance. Naive, perhaps, but Bedard and his teammates had sky-high expectations.

“Two weeks ago, me, [Colton Dach] and [Ryan] Greene were on vacation, talking about, ‘After we win the Cup, we’re going to go back.’ It’s hard,” Bedard confessed. Now, Dach isn’t even in Chicago. He was traded to Edmonton in the same package that sent Jason Dickinson to The Gateway to the North. In return, the Hawks received a conditional 1st round pick in 2027 and Andrew Mangiapane.

In the blink of an eye, all progress has been wiped away for the Blackhawks. They find themselves back in the same position they have occupied ahead of every trade deadline since Bedard arrived in town.