Connor Bedard is expected to miss the start of the 2026-27 season after having surgery on his left shoulder, and Chicago is now staring at a huge question before training camp even starts: who is going to carry the offense until he gets back?
Bedard isn’t just “one of” their best players. He is the guy.
Since being drafted No. 1 overall in 2023, Bedard has led Chicago in scoring in each of his first three NHL seasons. Last year, he put up 30 goals, 45 assists and 75 points in 69 games. For his career, he already has 75 goals, 128 assists and 203 points in 219 games, and he doesn’t even turn 21 until July 17.
That’s not exactly the kind of production you replace with one player.
Frank Nazar could get the first crack at filling the top-line center role. He had 41 points in 66 games last season, including a hot start with 11 points in his first 10 games. Chicago just committed to him long-term too, with his seven-year, $46.13 million deal kicking in this season.
Roman Kantserov is another name to watch. The 21-year-old winger had 36 goals and 64 points in 63 KHL games last season, and the Blackhawks clearly believe he can bring more offense right away.
Tyler Bertuzzi may also have to take on a bigger role after finishing second on the team with 58 points and leading Chicago with 11 power-play goals. If Bedard is out, Bertuzzi’s net-front game becomes even more important.
The blue line has to help too. Bowen Byram, who came over from Buffalo and signed a six-year, $75 million deal, had 42 points last season and should get a real chance to run the power play.
This is where Chicago’s depth gets tested fast.
Anton Frondell, Ryan Donato, Teuvo Teravainen, Oliver Moore, Nick Lardis and Ryan Greene all become more important while Bedard is out. Donato needs to rediscover the 31-goal touch he showed two seasons ago, while Teravainen has to bounce back after dropping from 58 points to 35.
Bedard has already missed double-digit games twice in his young career, including 14 games as a rookie with a broken jaw and 12 more last season with an upper-body injury.
Now Chicago has to survive another stretch without him.
The Blackhawks were hoping to push toward playoff contention this season. That path just got a whole lot harder before the puck even drops.