Breaking Down Connor Bedard’s Next Contract: 5-Year Bridge vs. 8-Year Long-Term – The Hockey Writers – Chicago Blackhawks

The Chicago Blackhawks have the biggest contract ending for them. First overall pick in 2023 and the current leader of this franchise, Connor Bedard, has become a restricted free agent (RFA). Bedard is coming off the best season of his career with a 30-goal and 75-point campaign in 69 games played. 

There are two routes the Blackhawks and Bedard could go down when it comes to this extension: a five-year bridge deal or a long-term eight-year contract. But what contract would be better for Bedard or the Blackhawks? 

Five-Year Bridge 

If Bedard did this, he’d be following in the tracks of Minnesota Wild superstar winger Kirill Kaprizov. Kaprizov, back in 2021, signed a five-year extension worth $9 million per year. Kaprizov is now known to be one of the best wingers in the league and signed an eight-year contract right before this season started in September to stay with the Wild with an average annual value (AAV) of $17 million per season, making him the highest-paid NHL player in history. 

If you’re Bedard, or you’re his agent, you’re looking at that and finding a way to make that option work to make the most money. If you’re the Blackhawks, this is the worst-case scenario (there isn’t a world where he doesn’t return to the team next season, so there’s no need to entertain that). In this case, a five-year bridge at around $10 or 11 million per year should do the trick. 

This option gives Bedard some time to see how the rest of the rebuild shakes out and what type of playoff team Chicago is. Coming off the best season of his career, too, he can continue to improve and hit career highs as the five years go by. As the salary cap rises, Bedard will be in a prime position to be the highest-paid player in the league if he continues this quick upward trajectory. 

Long-Term Deal 

This deal will take more negotiating than a five-year bridge deal, simply because of all of the factors that are involved. This will put him in Chicago for the next eight years and will solidify him as the face of the franchise. This is definitely the option the Blackhawks want, because it will save them a lot of money in the long run. However, Bedard and his agent might look at this and see the money being lost in the future. It all depends on what route they want to go.

An eight-year extension will come with a cap hit of around $14 million per year. He’s still really young and hasn’t reached the level of a Kaprizov, an Auston Matthews, or a Leon Draisaitl to make their type of money yet; therefore, he’ll make less than them on a long-term contract. 

Bedard has constantly talked about how much he loves the Windy City. He genuinely believes in the process and the road that general manager Kyle Davidson is leading them down. Bedard sees the vision coming into play, and him watching Anton Frondell, who was the third overall pick in 2025, come in and tear it up the way he did had to have given him an extra boost of confidence.

Bedard mentioned in the locker room cleanout that he expects the team to be playing some meaningful hockey next season. With all that, signing a contract with a significant term doesn’t seem too ambitious. 

The ideal scenario here is obviously for him to sign a long-term extension to stay here and continue to be that cornerstone piece. But, if he does decide to take the short-term angle, there should be no worry that he won’t be a Blackhawk for the prime of his career.