VIDEO: Connor Bedard Leaves Practice in Pain

Vincent Larue
VIDEO: Connor Bedard Leaves Practice in Pain
Credit: Capture d'écran | X

The Blackhawks must be hoping that Connor Bedard has avoided the worst.

Because the footage circulating from today's practice is far from reassuring.

According to initial reports by Ryan McGregor, the young forward reportedly left the ice clutching his left shoulder.

In the video, you can even hear him screaming in pain as he leaves the rink, suggesting that the injury could be serious.

Obviously, we'll have to wait for an official diagnosis before drawing any conclusions.

But let's just say the timing is far from ideal.

Let's not forget that Bedard has already had shoulder trouble this season. He injured his right shoulder, though he didn't require surgery. If this time it really is a serious injury to his left shoulder, the Hawks could find themselves in an extremely tricky situation.

Why?

Because the organization decided to take action this summer.

The Blackhawks paid a hefty price to acquire Bowen Byram, providing Bedard with a top-tier defenseman. They also added Jordan Greenway to make their lineup tougher to face and to better protect their young star.

These moves sent a clear message: Chicago felt the time had come to accelerate its rebuild.

It's not as if these acquisitions came for free.

To land Byram, the Blackhawks agreed to part with the fourth overall pick in the most recent draft. It's a major gamble for a team that wants to finally move on to the next stage of its development.

However, if Bedard were to miss an extended period of time, the entire plan could quickly fall apart.

The new arrivals are here to support Bedard and help him win, not to try to salvage a season without him.

Obviously, no one wants to see a player like him suffer a serious injury. The NHL is more spectacular when he's on the ice.

But watching the practice footage, it's hard not to think that the Hawks might have faced one of the worst-case scenarios imaginable. After investing so much to build a team around their star, a prolonged absence by Bedard would quickly turn a promising summer… into a real nightmare.


In a nutshell

– A well-deserved vacation.

– Time flies.

– Francis Bouillon praises some of the Habs' prospects.

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