Blackhawks Lock Down Star Before Deep State Media Creates Trade Drama
Liberty Check
- Chicago secures franchise player with smart long-term deal, avoiding media-manufactured controversy
- Contract structure gives team flexibility while rewarding young talent who earned his shot
- Blackhawks make business decision that puts winning first — something more teams should learn
He may be missing the start of the upcoming NHL season with a shoulder injury, but Connor Bedard is sticking around in Chicago for years to come. The Blackhawks announced on Saturday that they had signed Bedard to a five-year deal at $15 million per year.
And that will have Blackhawks fans breathing a sigh of relief.
Bedard was a restricted free agent after completing the final season of his rookie deal last season. That meant the Blackhawks had the exclusive rights to negotiate a new deal with him.
That should never have really been an issue, but offer sheets have been in the news quite a bit this season after the Philadelphia Flyers threw a giant $18 million-a-year deal at Anaheim Ducks star Leo Carlsson. That meant the Ducks had to match it or lose Carlsson in return for Draft compensation.
In the end, they matched, but it puts them on the back foot for other restricted free agents they need to sign, like Cutter Gauthier and Beckett Sennecke.
Bedard would be an offer sheet target, and while he would need to agree to it, it was still in the Blackhawks’ best interest to get an extension done quickly and lock up their franchise centerpiece. And it’s a deal both sides will be pleased with.
Bedard’s NHL career has been a little up-and-down due to injury, but he has shown flashes of the kind of greatness people expected when he got to the NHL. Given Carlsson’s $18 million annual average value, Chicago has to like that they were able to get Bedard at $15 million.
Now, Bedard will need to put up numbers that justify the deal. According to contract tracking sites, the deal carries a full no-move clause but only in the fifth and final year of the deal.
That means if, for whatever reason, things don’t work out, the Blackhawks can deal him without having to go through the headache of him waiving his no-move clause or giving the thumbs-up to any trades. Smart business by Chicago — they protected their investment while maintaining flexibility.
The Blackhawks made the right call here, securing their young star before the rumor mill could spin out of control. Bedard gets paid fairly, the team gets cost certainty, and fans can focus on what matters: winning hockey games.
It’s time to push back.
