CHICAGO – Connor Bedard is going to miss at least two weeks because of an upper-body injury, dealing a major blow to the Chicago Blackhawks and his chances of making Team Canada for the Winter Olympics.
Bedard was placed on injured reserve on Monday, three days after he got hurt in the final seconds of a 3-2 loss at St. Louis.
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“We'll get through the new year and then kind of re-evaluate and see where he's at,” coach Jeff Blashill said after practice.
Bedard got hurt on a draw with 0.8 seconds left in Friday night's loss to the Blues. He grasped at his right shoulder and immediately headed to the locker room, accompanied by a trainer.
Blashill declined to get into any specifics with Bedard's injury, sticking to his upper-body designation. He said Bedard isn't going to have an operation or procedure right now, but he left open that possibility for the 20-year-old center down the road.
“Let’s start with the rehab and see where it goes and I’ll have a better update after that,” Blashill said.
The injury sidelines Bedard in the middle of a breakout performance for the No. 1 pick in the 2023 draft. He leads the team with 19 goals and 25 assists in 31 games.
The Blackhawks open a three-game trip on Tuesday night at Toronto. They are 3-8-2 in their last 13 games.
Chicago also recalled defenseman Ethan Del Mastro and goaltender Laurent Brossoit from Rockford of the American Hockey League on Monday.
Brossoit had been in the minors on a conditioning assignment. Blashill said Brossoit will be placed on waivers and will go back to Rockford if he clears.
Del Mastro, 22, has two goals and four assists in 27 career games with Chicago.
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