Chicago placed Connor Bedard, a young NHL star, on injured reserve due to an upper-body injury, retroactive to Dec. 12. This injury occurred in the final second of a game against the St. Louis Blues, causing Bedard to be sidelined for at least two weeks. This setback impacts his chances of making the Canadian Olympic team in Milan Cortina in February.
Initially considered a long shot for the Canadian roster, Bedard impressed with a strong performance at the start of the season. The final roster announcement is expected on December 31. Chicago’s head coach, Jeff Blashill, stated that Bedard will be re-evaluated in the new year and no surgery is currently planned.
Despite the injury, Bedard leads Chicago with 44 points in 31 games, ranking fourth in the NHL. The team aims to compensate for his absence collectively. With Bedard out, players like Tyler Bertuzzi, Ryan Donato, Frank Nazar, and Nick Lardis are expected to step up offensively.
Captain Nick Foligno is also nearing a return from a hand injury, which could provide a boost to the team. The collective effort will be crucial in maintaining Chicago’s performance in Bedard’s absence.
To strengthen the team, Chicago called up defenseman Ethan Del Mastro and goaltender Laurent Brossoit from the American Hockey League. Del Mastro has a record of two goals and six points in 27 games with Chicago. The team is set to begin a three-game road trip against the Toronto Maple Leafs, looking to improve their recent 3-8-2 record in the last 13 games.