With the birth of the Chicago Blackhawks’ young sensation, Connor Bedard, he has become a colossal figure in the NHL, but analysts say he should wait a bit before signing a long-term extension. According to NHL analyst Craig Button, the Blackhawks are in the lower depths of the standings, and perhaps committing so early may not be a good thing for Bedard, considering that better opportunities might arise for him later.

Connor Bedard is currently with an entry-level contract that runs through the 2025-26 season, and as the first player picked in the 2023 NHL Draft, he is due to sign the extension beginning this July 1. Although the norm requires teams to early lock up young superstars, with Chicago’s present woes, Button argues Bedard is not in a rush to commit.

The Blackhawks currently hide in the basement cellar of the Central Division with a 20-39-9 record and do not look to be making strides toward that of a playoff-capable squad. Still shining despite dismal performances by the team, Bedard has already accumulated an impressive 53 points (18 goals, 35 assists) through 68 games in his rookie season, raising hopes among the fans, including of course concerns about his long-term future with the organization.

Anders Sorensen gave an passionate answer today when asked about Connor Bedard’s two misconduct penalties:

“Overall, I think he’s very mature for being 19, especially with the amount of spotlight that’s on him constantly. I’m really impressed with how he handles it.

It’s human…

— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) March 17, 2025

Button pointed out there is nothing innately beneficial in early signing since the contract terms will be offered to him still as he would have had this summer. All the while, he could wait and potentially shop offer sheets with prospective teams, thus putting pressure during negotiations. Not to mention the future years whereby projections see the salary cap increasing.
The onus is now on the Blackhawks’ front office to prove that it is capable of putting together a competitive team around their young star. Failure at that task may lead to consideration being given by Bedard to other options. Button stressed that, unless Chicago can show very clear signs of progress, the best thing for Bedard is to stick around and wait to see how the organization moves forward before signing any long-term extension.

Connor Bedard is conceivably already the face of the Chicago Blackhawks. His distance from the team makes future horizons very blurry. Analysts recommend that he should wait for his extension to see if this franchise ensures a competitive environment. Financial advantages, and possibly leverage in free agency, are probably the most attractive propositions for an otherwise very wise approach to sit back while watching Chicago’s commitment grow warm toward a winning team.