The Chicago Blackhawks have announced that rookie center Connor Bedard has been placed on injured reserve due to a broken jaw, following a hit from New Jersey defenseman Brendan Smith during Friday night’s game. This comes as a significant blow to the Blackhawks, as Bedard has been their standout player in his first NHL season.

Bedard, who was selected with the No. 1 overall pick in last year’s draft, has lived up to the hype, leading all NHL rookies with 15 goals and 18 assists in 39 games. He was also chosen to participate in the upcoming NHL All-Star Game and was eagerly anticipated to play in his hometown of Vancouver on January 22. However, no timeline has been provided for his return to action.

In addition to Bedard, the Blackhawks have also placed forward Nick Foligno on injured reserve due to a fractured left finger. With a long list of injured players, the team has been seeking reinforcements, and they recently acquired forward Rem Pitlick from the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for a conditional seventh-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.

The Blackhawks have been struggling lately, having lost five consecutive games and seven of their last eight under second-year coach Luke Richardson. The absence of key players, including Bedard and Foligno, has undoubtedly contributed to their recent decline. Fellow forwards Anthony Beauvillier, Tyler Johnson, Taylor Raddysh, Joey Anderson, and Andreas Athanasiou are also sidelined with injuries, while defenseman Seth Jones is on injured reserve with a shoulder injury.

In an effort to bolster their roster, the Blackhawks have brought in Rem Pitlick, a 26-year-old forward with previous NHL experience. Pitlick has recorded 21 goals and 33 assists in 123 career NHL games with the Nashville Predators, Minnesota Wild, and Montreal Canadiens.