Long term contract for Connor Bedard key for Blackhawks future
The Chicago Blackhawks have a massive decision looming over the franchise, one which will play a big role in the future of the team. That decision is the next contract for Connor Bedard, who enters this summer as a restricted free agent. Depending on how long and how expensive his next deal is, that will shift how the Blackhawks build around him and set course for success in the future.
Tyler Yaremchuk and Steve Peters talked about Bedard’s looming RFA status and how important locking him up long term is.
Tyler Yaremchuk: What’s a dream summer for the Chicago Blackhawks and that fan base? I think getting Connor Bedard to sign an eight-year deal is probably right there, because I think they can still get it done before the CBA switches. Even if it’s not eight, then it’s seven.
I really think the last thing you want is Connor Bedard to go “you know what, I’m gonna do the bridge, I’m gonna wait til the cap shoots up. Give me a four-year deal at whatever number that would be”. It’d still be very, very expensive.
But if you’re the Hawks, you’re heading into this run here. This summer they have $40 million in cap space. They’re projected to have north of $80 million the following summer. If it costs you $16 to $17 to $18 million, I just think you need to go and get Connor Bedard locked up for the full max term just to get that cost certainty, so you can build around him and know exactly how much you have to spend in each of the next few summers.
Steve Peters: Yeah, it’s imperative. You talk about the signings and how important a player is to their team. There are very few that are as important as what Bedard brings to Chicago.
But look at what they’ve done over the last few years. They have centered every decision they’ve made on making Connor Bedard happy. And we’ve seen that in Edmonton, where they tried to make one player happy and it didn’t work out the way they wanted it to. They were unable to make that guy smile.
So you need to make Bedard happy. You got to pay him. It’ll get done. I’m convinced he likes it there. He likes this young core that he’s around. It feels like they’ve given him a better chance to succeed now. You can look around the Chicago room and go “okay”. I talked about their young defense, but that’s going to be an asset moving forward two years from now with those guys playing those amount of games. You’ve got a goaltender that you believe in for the future, and you think your young stars can play it a certain way with pace. Bedard will get done. He’s going to be a Chicago Blackhawk for a very, very long time. You’re right.
The big question will be the bridge deal because he’s looking for money. Or does he go, “hey, I want to get locked up here. I want to have security. I know I want to be a Blackhawk for the next seven or eight years”. That’s what I think is going to get done in Chicago, and I think it’s important that they get that done before the season starts.
You can watch the full episode here…