Connor Bedard will make his season debut for the Chicago Blackhawks against the Pittsburgh Penguins at United Center on Tuesday, October 13. Puck drop is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET, 6 p.m. Mountain, with regional coverage on CHSN and SportsNet Pittsburgh.
Coach Jeff Blashill confirmed that the 21-year-old center is in the lineup, The Associated Press reported. Bedard missed Chicago’s first six games after July surgery on his left shoulder.
The confirmation follows his return to full-contact practice Sunday, when game clearance was still pending. The initial recovery estimate had placed his return in November.
Bedard said he has no playing restrictions, including on faceoffs. He led Chicago with 75 points last season and became the franchise’s captain in September.
The Blackhawks enter Tuesday at 1-5-0. Blashill cautioned that bringing their leading scorer back does not resolve the team’s broader problems by itself. The matchup also puts Bedard opposite Sidney Crosby, the Penguins captain he faced in his first NHL game in 2023.
Photograph: JennG / Wikimedia Commons. CC BY-SA 2.5. Display crop.
