Overview
- A video and on-site reporting show Bedard leaving a Vancouver practice favoring his left shoulder after a fall, a development first reported Thursday and now treated as a developing medical concern.
- Bedard is an unsigned restricted free agent whose camp has reportedly sought a long-term, top-market contract comparable to Kirill Kaprizov’s deal, according to NHL reporting.
- The Blackhawks have roughly $30 million in cap space so salary alone is unlikely to block a deal, but repeated shoulder issues are raising questions about committing to long term and a high average annual value.
- Bedard previously injured his right shoulder on Dec. 12, 2025 and missed weeks; Chicago’s poor record while he was out highlights both his on-ice value and the risk of recurring shoulder problems.
- If medical concerns persist the negotiation could shift to shorter term offers or more guarded guarantees, and the RFA process leaves open the possibility of an offer sheet from another team that would require heavy draft-pick compensation.