The severity of Connor Bedard’s injury is starting to become clearer. The Chicago Blackhawks, still very much in rebuild mode, have gotten off to a respectable start this season.
Bedard has been driving Chicago’s offense all season. But his momentum was halted after he suffered an injury against the St. Louis Blues last Friday. Now, more details are emerging about what he’s dealing with.
Latest Injury Update on Connor Bedard
Bedard was hurt on December 12 after taking a check from Brayden Schenn at the very end of a faceoff. He immediately grabbed his shoulder while skating to the bench, clearly in pain. The Blackhawks later placed him on injured reserve retroactive to December 12, listing the issue as an upper-body injury.
Speaking after practice on Monday, head coach Jeff Blashill offered a short update, saying, “We’re gonna re-evaluate after the New Year. We’ll get through the new year and then kind of reevaluate and see where he’s at.” Blashill stopped short of revealing the exact nature of the injury but did confirm that surgery won’t be necessary.
More clarity came later from NHL insider Kevin Weekes, who reported that Bedard is dealing with a separated shoulder. “Per sources, I’m told the injury sustained to @NHLBlackhawks young star F Bedard, is a separated shoulder,” Weekes wrote on X.
**Injury Update** 🚨 🚑
Per sources, I’m told the injury sustained to @NHLBlackhawks young star F Bedard, is
a separated shoulder. #HockeyX #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/HkJzlRp4wK— Kevin Weekes (@KevinWeekes) December 16, 2025
Recovery timelines for a separated shoulder depend on the severity of the injury. A mild sprain can sideline a player for one to two weeks. A partial tear may take four to eight weeks to heal. More severe cases can require months of recovery. And in some situations, surgery. Physical therapy is typically a key part of the rehab process.
The injury comes at a tough time for Connor Bedard. It clouds his chances of making Team Canada, as Olympic rosters are due by December 31, and Bedard is still on the bubble. He has been on a tear this season, ranking fourth in the NHL with 44 points in 31 games.
Without their star forward, the Blackhawks face an uphill battle offensively. Their upcoming road trip against Toronto, Montreal, and Ottawa will be a stiff test without Bedard in the lineup.
“Nobody’s going to replace Connor on their own… We need to be better defensively,” Blashill said. “We’re going to have to score those net-front-type goals, the tip-type goals. We’re not going to score from distance the way Connor can score from distance at a regular rate.”
It remains to be seen how the Blackhawks adjust without Connor Bedard in the lineup.
