Connor Bedard signs five-year, $75 million extension with Blackhawks

Connor Bedard signed a five-year contract extension with the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday, one day after his 21st birthday. The deal carries an annual cap hit of $15 million and keeps the franchise cornerstone under team control through the 2030-31 season, according to chicago.suntimes.com.

The contract includes a $9.8 million signing bonus in each year, a nod to Bedard's jersey number, 98. He will also hold a full no-movement clause in the final season. The deal ends Bedard's nearly three-week stint as a restricted free agent after he became eligible to sign on July 1.

Bedard led the Blackhawks with 75 points in 69 games last season. Since being selected first overall in the 2023 draft, he has 203 points in 219 career games and won the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year in 2023-24.

The signing completes a critical offseason task for general manager Kyle Davidson, who had made locking up Bedard a priority. "He's so important to our team," Davidson said in a statement. "He took such a big step forward this year in every facet."

Bedard will miss the start of the 2026-27 season after undergoing left shoulder surgery earlier this month, according to nhl.com. He suffered the injury while practicing in Vancouver on July 2 and is expected to need four months to recover.

The five-year term means Bedard will become an unrestricted free agent in 2031 at age 26, positioning him for another significant payday when the salary cap is projected to be higher. Chicago had reportedly pushed for an eight-year maximum-length deal during negotiations.