Connor Bedard was always going to be the biggest restricted free agent story of the summer.

Now? It has another layer.

The Chicago Blackhawks superstar is still unsigned, still eligible for an offer sheet, and now recovering from shoulder surgery that is expected to keep him out for roughly four months. The Blackhawks announced Bedard injured his left shoulder while practicing in Vancouver on July 2, and NHL.com reported he is expected to miss the start of the 2026-27 season. (NHL)

That matters.

Not because Chicago is suddenly going to walk away from Connor Bedard. That is not happening.

But it does make the contract conversation a lot messier.

What Have The Blackhawks Offered Bedard?

That is the big question, and right now, there has not been a confirmed public offer from the Blackhawks.

What has been reported is the likely range.

The Chicago Sun-Times reported before the injury that Bedard’s next cap hit could land somewhere in the $13 million to $16 million range, with the bigger question being term. Does he take the full eight years with Chicago, or does he push for a shorter four- or five-year deal that lets him cash in again when the salary cap keeps climbing? (Chicago Sun-Times)

That is where this gets interesting.

Chicago wants the face of the franchise locked up. Bedard wants to be paid like the player he already is, but also like the player he is expected to become.

And there is no mystery about his importance to the organization. He led the Blackhawks last season with 75 points in 69 games, and he has 203 points in 219 career NHL games. (NHL)

That is not a “wait and see” player.

That is the player your entire rebuild is built around.

The Injury Gives Chicago A Talking Point

This latest injury is not just a random footnote.

Bedard missed 14 games as a rookie with a fractured jaw. He played all 82 games in 2024-25. Then last season, he missed 12 games after an upper-body injury where he was seen grabbing his right shoulder. Now he has had surgery on his left shoulder. (NHL)

That is three notable injuries early in his NHL career.

Two involving shoulders.

Does that mean Bedard is “injury prone”? That is probably too strong right now. Some of this is bad luck. A fractured jaw from contact is not the same as a recurring soft-tissue problem. But from a negotiation standpoint, Chicago would be doing its job if it at least used the shoulder history as part of the discussion.

Not to insult the player.

Not to lowball him.

But to say: “We love you, we believe in you, but there is risk here.”

That risk could matter more on an eight-year deal than a short-term bridge.

Bedard Still Has The Leverage

Here is the problem for Chicago: even with the injuries, Bedard still has massive leverage.

He is 20 years old. He is a former first-overall pick. He is already producing at a point-per-game pace. He is the reason fans still care about the Blackhawks rebuild.

Chicago can bring up the injuries all it wants, but Bedard’s camp can bring up something stronger: without him, what exactly are the Blackhawks selling?

This is still a team trying to climb out of the basement. Bedard is not just their best player. He is their identity.

So yes, the injury may help Chicago argue against the absolute top number.

But it probably does not suddenly turn a $15 million conversation into a bargain deal.

Could Daniel Brière And The Flyers Actually Offer Sheet Him?

This is where the Flyers angle gets spicy.

Daniel Brière already showed the league he is not afraid to go big. Philadelphia just attempted a massive offer sheet for Leo Carlsson, reportedly at five years and $18 million per season, before Anaheim matched. After that, Brière said the Flyers’ goal had not changed and that they would keep pursuing opportunities to improve the team. (Daily Faceoff)

Daily Faceoff specifically mentioned Bedard as one of the biggest remaining offer-sheet eligible RFAs on the market. (Daily Faceoff)

So could the Flyers try?

Technically, yes.

But would it work?

That is the hard part.

Sportsnet already called Bedard an unrealistic offer-sheet target because Chicago had more than $40 million in cap space and would have “no problem” matching basically anything. (Sportsnet.ca)

That is the key.

The Flyers can make Chicago uncomfortable. They can make the number ugly. They can force the Blackhawks into a massive cap hit.

But stealing Bedard from Chicago? That still feels almost impossible.

The Flyers Could Still Make Chicago Pay More

The most realistic Flyers threat is not taking Bedard.

It is making Chicago pay the highest possible price.

If Brière looked at Bedard’s injury history and thought Chicago was trying to use it as a discount, the Flyers could step in and say: “Fine, we’ll pay him like a superstar anyway.”

That would put pressure on the Blackhawks immediately.

And that is where the injury becomes a weird part of the story. On one hand, it gives Chicago a reason to be cautious. On the other, it might give another team a chance to show Bedard they are not scared off.

For a player, that matters.

If your own team is trying to shave money off because of injuries, and another team is willing to treat you like the franchise player you believe you are, that can change the tone of negotiations fast.

Chicago Can’t Play This Too Cute

The Blackhawks need to be careful.

There is a difference between smart negotiating and making your franchise player feel undervalued.

Bedard has carried a lot already. He has produced without much help. He has been the face of a painful rebuild. He has dealt with losing, pressure, and now multiple injuries before even turning 21.

If Chicago tries to turn the shoulder issue into a major discount, that could backfire.

This is not a depth player coming off surgery.

This is Connor Bedard.

The Bottom Line

The injury probably affects the talks.

It gives Chicago a little more reason to be cautious on term, structure, and total money. It may make an eight-year mega-deal slightly more complicated than it looked a month ago.

But it does not change the big picture.

Bedard is still the Blackhawks’ franchise. He is still offer-sheet eligible. He is still the kind of player another aggressive team, maybe even Brière’s Flyers, would love to pressure Chicago with.

The question is not whether the Blackhawks want to keep Connor Bedard.

Of course they do.

The question is whether this injury gives Chicago a bargain — or whether it gives another team the opening to make the Blackhawks sweat.