- Connor Bedard is trending toward his season debut Tuesday against the Penguins
- The Blackhawks captain took part in a second straight full practice after offseason shoulder surgery
- Read below for what Jeff Blashill said and where Bedard fits in the lineup
Connor Bedard is closing in on his first game of the season.
Blackhawks coach Jeff Blashill said Monday that Bedard is “trending toward looking like he’s got the possibility of playing” Tuesday night against the Pittsburgh Penguins at the United Center, per NHL.com’s Tracey Myers. The captain went through another full practice after doing the same for the first time Sunday.
On the Tuesday lineup, Charlie Roumeliotis of WGN Radio said the coach called it a “coach’s decision,” then paused, laughed and said, “We’ll see how that goes.” Roumeliotis took that to mean Bedard is probably playing:
Bedard had surgery on his left shoulder after getting hurt in an offseason training session in Vancouver on July 2. He started skating with the team Oct. 5 in a noncontact jersey. Our earlier update had him back at full practice, and now the next step is a game.
Bedard talked about how he feels after the past two practices.
“It feels good, I feel normal,” Bedard said. “I think everyone’s comfortable with everything, contact, battles. I’m excited to keep building and get going here.”
Last season Bedard came back from a different shoulder injury with restrictions. Blashill explained how this one differs, and Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times shared his answer:
Bedard said he can take face-offs right away this time. Last year he missed 12 games, returned Jan. 9 and did not take a face-off in a game until Feb. 26.
Chicago sits at 1-5-0 and has been outscored 26-12. Pope wrote that the power play has gone 1-for-14 without Bedard, in a Sun-Times breakdown of how his return changes things. He is expected to center the top line between Roman Kantserov and Patrick Kane, and work the left side of the top power-play unit with Kane shifting back to the right.
Kane was asked about Bedard being cleared to practice and what he adds to the group.
“It’s definitely a boost to the whole team,” Kane said. “Just seeing what he’s capable of doing out there just in practice, it’s high-level skill.”
The coach also tried to keep expectations in check. “We can’t expect him to come in and just put us on his back,” he said. “He has to be another guy.”
If Bedard plays, it will be his first game wearing the “C” and his first under the five-year, $15 million per year contract he signed in July. Puck drop is 8 p.m. ET.
