Connor Bedard has Jeff Blashill opening camp with Chicago's biggest contract still sitting loose.
Frank Seravalli's latest read is the part that matters. His understanding is the Blackhawks and Bedard still have not really gotten down to business on the numbers yet.
That fits what Chicago has already said in public. On July 1, general manager Kyle Davidson said the deal was “not there yet,” even while making it clear both sides remain comfortable with the process.
So this is not a standoff. It is a file that still feels early, even with the noise around Bedard's next number getting louder all summer.
The reason nobody is panicking yet is simple. Bedard just finished a 75-point season in 69 games, with 30 goals and 45 assists, so Chicago knows exactly what kind of player it is negotiating around.
That kind of production matters even more on this roster. The Blackhawks finished 29-39-14 with 72 points, and Bedard still led the team in scoring by a wide margin.
The tricky part is timing. Bedard now is set to miss the start of the 2026-27 season after left shoulder surgery, with a 4-month recovery timeline announced this week.
" Frank Seravalli: Re Connor Bedard/Blackhawks negotiations: My understanding is they really haven't gotten down to business in talking those numbers yet - Mully & Haugh (7/9) "
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Connor Bedard's next contract just became Chicago's biggest problem
That injury does not kill the contract talks, but it does change the mood around them. Instead of building toward camp hype, Chicago is now talking about recovery, lineup gaps, and when Bedard gets back on the ice.
For Blashill, that is a rough way to start. A new coach wants clarity around his No. 1 center, not a summer where the top player is hurt and the contract math is still mostly sitting on the table.
Still, the Blackhawks have room to breathe. Bedard remains an RFA at the end of his entry-level setup, and Chicago is not negotiating with a fringe scorer or a one-year wonder.
The market is what makes this loud. Once elite young centers start getting tossed into huge summer number talk, every Bedard update starts carrying more juice than it probably should.
That is why Seravalli's note lands. It cools the idea that Chicago is sitting deep in final-dollar talks right now. This sounds more like framework than finish line.
The Blackhawks know where this is headed in the long run. Bedard is the franchise driver, the player everything runs through, and the contract will reflect that when the real number fight starts.
But that fight clearly is not fully here yet. Right now, Chicago is still waiting on health, still waiting on momentum, and still waiting for Connor Bedard's negotiation to move from loose discussion into something far more serious.
Should the Blackhawks lock up Connor Bedard before he returns from injury?
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