It’s a deal!: Blackhawks sign Bedard to first NHL contract

Connor Bedard got a nice present for his 18th birthday.

The Chicago Blackhawks announced Monday they had signed the Regina Pats star to a three-year entry-level contract that runs through the 2025-26 NHL season. The deal results in a $950,000 salary cap hit for Chicago.

The Blackhawks selected Bedard with the first pick overall in the 2023 NHL draft. He was the first Pats player to go No. 1 in the NHL draft since Doug Wickenheiser was the top pick by the Montreal Canadiens in 1980.

“Being drafted by an Original Six team has been such a surreal experience and I couldn’t be more thrilled to be a part of this team’s future,” Bedard said in a Blackhawks media release. “The Blackhawks organization and the city of Chicago have such a rich sports history and I’m honoured to be a part of it.”

“Signing Connor is a huge step in building a new foundation for our organization,” Chicago general manager Kyle Davidson added in the release. “We’re excited to see him grow and play a large role in pushing our team forward for many years to come.”

Bedard had 71 goals and 72 assists in 57 regular-season games with the Pats during the WHL’s 2022-23 regular season and added 10 goals and 10 assists in seven playoff games.

He was named the WHL’s player of the year and then claimed the awards as the Canadian Hockey League’s top scorer, player of the year and top prospect. It was the first time in CHL history that one player won all three awards in the same season.

Bedard also was named the MVP of the 2023 world junior hockey championship after scoring nine goals and assisting on 14 others to help Canada win gold. In his second appearance in the event, he set numerous Canadian single-tournament and career scoring records.