The NHL's best prospect since Sidney Crosby will have to postpone his rookie season.
Chicago Blackhawks rookie phenom Connor Bedard, the No. 1 overall pick in the latest NHL Draft, was placed on injured reserve after suffering a broken jaw Friday night.
Bedard was hit in the face by Brendan Smith of the New Jersey Devils midway through the first period. He left the game and never returned.
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Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard, 98, skates with the puck during the first period against the New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center. (Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports)
This hit made the rest of the game unstable. Even Devils young sensation Jack Hughes had a big hit, and Smith hung up his glove against Nick Foligno in the second period, shortly after multiple members of both teams collided on the ice.
The Chicago Blackhawks also placed Foligno on IR after breaking a finger on his left hand in a fight with Smith.
The Blackhawks won last year's draft lottery and were given the right to select Bedard.
Connor Bedard, No. 98 of the Chicago Blackhawks, celebrates his first-period goal in the season opener against the Boston Bruins at TD Garden on October 11, 2023 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Steve Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images)
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He lived up to those expectations, leading the team and all rookies with 15 goals and 18 assists. However, things are still tough in Chicago, with 11 wins, 26 losses, and 2 draws, the second-lowest total in the league with 24 points.
The Blackhawks' extensive injury list forced them to acquire forward Rem Pitlick from the Pittsburgh Penguins for a conditional seventh-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.
Bedard has long been compared to future Hall of Famer Crosby since high school. In his NHL debut, he faced his childhood hero in the opening game.
#87 Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins and #98 Connor Bedard of the Chicago Blackhawks prepare for a showdown at PPG Paints Arena on October 10, 2023 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images)
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Bedard's timeline is unknown, but it seems reasonable that he will return to next month's All-Star Game if selected.
Bedard, 17, scored 143 points in just 57 CHL games and led Canada to a world junior gold medal last year.
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