Predicting Connor Bedard’s next contract with the Chicago Blackhawks – Hockey Writer – Chicago Blackhawks
Every house needs a foundation. Every car needs a frame. Every book needs to be binding. Every NHL needs a core that can build the future.
The Chicago Blackhawks have begun securing those core players through long-term contract extensions. Defensive Alex Vlasic signed a six-year, $27.6 million contract in April 2024. Forward Frank Nazar signed a seven-year, $46.13 million contract in August. On Saturday (September 13), goalkeeper Spencer Knight signed a three-year extension worth $17.49 million.
Defenders, forwards and goalkeepers – This is the core production. Together with them, a series of entry-level contracts for players such as Sam Rinzel and Anton Frondell strengthened the core and positioned general manager Kyle Davidson to consolidate those expansions in a few years.
Related: Connor Bedard is motivated by lack of hype
Davidson’s manual work is timely and effective. But this begs the question: What will Connor Bedard’s next contract look like? After all, he is Lynchpin.
Bedder will sign with the Blackhawks, so there is no need to worry about that. But given the deals signed by Nazar, Vlasic and Knight and the current salary of the NHL’s current salary landscape (NHL) – it’s even more interesting to predict Bedard’s income.
Finally, given his superstar’s potential, this will be a balanced behavior between maintaining team trends and making money.
The Blackhawks’ signature tells us
The contracts of Vlasic, Nazar and Knight provide insights into the first factor of the Bedard contract equation. Davidson locked in the three core players with a low hat shooting percentage: Vlasic: $4.6 million, Nazar at $6.59 million, and Knight at $5.83 million. These numbers leave a lot of room for Davidson to sign Bedard and potential free agents.
Davidson can sign these three players at a lower annual value (AAV) as each has relatively little NHL experience. Vlasic has played in 97 games, Nazar 56 and Knight95. The extensions provide them with a safe and good salary increase, and Davidson takes (seemingly minor) risks that they won’t develop into the players he thinks he’ll be.
This is a win-win situation.
For Davidson, perhaps more importantly, these signings prove that he will not overpay relatively unproven, promising players. Not only will this leave him a space to give him a hat (as mentioned above), but it will also cultivate a culture in which support for team success trumps personal cash. Think of the Florida Panthers with very little player in the Florida Panthers than Captain Aleksander Barkov’s $10 million AAV, although he certainly deserves more in the open market.
Expect to set in Chicago. Even veterans like Ryan Donato, who signed a four-year, $16 million contract this summer, fell into the ranks. Bedard will surpass everyone, but the “rules” apply to him remains to be seen.
Bedard deserves it
Bedard is different from Nazar and Company in three key ways: he has more experience, his success has achieved more success, and is the face of the franchise.
These three variables will make it harder for Davidson to sell the same tone to Bedard as others. Now, Davidson is not naive enough to believe that Bedard falls into the same category. But what will the “Bed” category look like given Davidson’s expectations, Bed’s success, and the rise in salary increases?
Bedsy’s highlights, is anyone there? 😏
This is our favorite thing about Connor Bedard doing Connor Bedard in the 2024-25 season‼ ️ pic.twitter.com/ascjkxgl5i
– Blackhawks on chsn (@chsn_blackhawks) April 21, 2025
We can do these three tasks backwards. Bedder’s new deal will begin in the 2026-27 season with a salary cap of $104 million. We know that in the 2027-28 season, this will be $113.5 million. Who knows the number it will reach?
Only the increase will give him more money. We have seen the impact of the rise on contract negotiations. Minnesota Wild Stud Kirill Kaprizov rejected an eight-year, $128 million offer. Elliotte Friedman speculated that Kaprizov rejected it because there might be a bigger offer in the rumor.
Related: Blackhawks rookie hugs coaches unanimous messaging
Apparently, players and agents know that they can ask for more money.
Next, Bedard placed him in the elite tier outside the current Blackhawks with 128 points in 150 games. Add to that minimum of 70+ points he will be competent this season, and we are discussing a player who scored 200 points in his first three seasons. Only Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews have achieved this feat over the past decade. Not even Nathan Mackinnon.
McDavid signed an eight-year, $100 million contract in 2017. Matthews signed a five-year, $58.19 million contract in 2019. Both AAVs are north of $10 million.
So far, Bedder’s performance needs to be considered at least this number. You may not be in the same category as McDavid or Matthews, but the numbers don’t lie. The market gives the player’s leverage (points and cases: Kaprizov).
Will Davidson go that high? He loves team-friendly deals and hopes to look more friendly in a few years.
With Bedard, you can check these boxes at $10 million a year.
No need to worry
Bedard will sign with the Blackhawks. “They know I want to be there; I know they want me.” An eight-year deal is likely to be the result. That would bring him to 30 and allow him to sign at least one big ticket before retirement.
AAV may be higher than many people expect. Given Bedard’s success and where the salary cap goes, $10 million or $11 million is not unreasonable. He needs to convince Davidson that in a few years, that number will be a steal.
Final prediction
Bedard will sign an eight-year, $84 million contract with an AAV of $10.5 million. This number will pay him his value; it will respect him as his cornerstone. This will make Davidson happy to spend about 10% of his hat on his superstars.
