Connor Bedard didn’t dance around the question during his exit interview on Thursday. Asked about potentially becoming the Chicago Blackhawks’ next captain, the 20-year-old superstar made it clear he wants the job, and his teammates believe he’s ready for it.
It’s the kind of answer you’d expect from Bedard: diplomatic, humble, but confident. And barring something unexpected, he’ll take the ice next October with the captaincy officially his.
“[With] how tight our room is, how close everyone is off the ice, it makes it so easy for anyone to be in that role,” Bedard said. “If I did get the ‘C’, I’m not going to change who I am and become something different just because of that letter. It’s an added responsibility that I do think I would be ready for. A lot of guys could be ready for it in that room. But it would be a special honor, for sure.”
The Leadership Void and Bedard’s Rise
Chicago traded away its entire leadership group in early March; captain Nick Foligno and alternate captains Connor Murphy and Jason Dickinson all moved at the deadline. The ultra-young Blackhawks spent the final six weeks of the season navigating that void, and new leaders naturally emerged.
Bedard served as an alternate captain alongside veteran Tyler Bertuzzi down the stretch, but everyone in the organization knows the “A” is just a placeholder. The “C” is coming, and it’s a matter of when, not if.
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Behind the scenes, Bedard’s teammates say he’s already leading in ways that go beyond on-ice production. His competitive fire is contagious, but it doesn’t overwhelm the more laid-back, personable side of his personality, which has become more visible in year three.
“He’s the perfect guy for [the captaincy],” Ryan Greene said. “He cares about his teammates and checks in on everybody all the time. He’s our guy. So he’s leading the way in a lot of different ways. I think he’s more than ready.”
Ryan Donato echoed the sentiment, pointing to Bedard’s maturation over his first three NHL seasons.
“I’ve seen how he’s changed as a person and player, and he’s shown everybody in this organization, including me, that he knows what it takes to win,” Donato said. “He’s put in the work, he’s dedicated, and obviously he’s the franchise player. We want to make sure we play our best for him, but he wants to give his best to every guy. He’s one of those guys, like a lot of our young guys, who take the experiences they’ve learned from the old guys and use them to their benefit. He does a tremendous job at that. The fact that he’s voicing [his desire to be captain] is exciting for me to see. He’s a great candidate for that and would be very deserving.”
Why Bedard Makes Sense
It’s become increasingly common for NHL teams to treat “captain” and “best player” as almost synonymous. Most franchise faces automatically wear the “C,” and Bedard is unquestionably the face of the Blackhawks. He’s been that since the moment Chicago won the draft lottery in 2023.
But beyond the optics, Bedard genuinely seems ready for the role in a way he wasn’t during his first two seasons. He’s matured publicly, allowing his genuine personality to shine through rather than hiding behind canned answers. He’s grown comfortable in the spotlight, occasionally funny in interviews, and more willing to speak his mind without sacrificing the diplomacy that comes naturally to him.
General manager Kyle Davidson said he’ll treat the captaincy as an “organizational decision,” holding meetings throughout the summer with people in different roles to gather input. He didn’t rule out starting next season without a captain, but that feels like procedural posturing more than serious consideration.
Alex Vlasic could be a long-shot candidate; he mentioned leadership as the area in which he grew most this season during his exit interview. Vlasic has a good chance of becoming an alternate captain in the same mold as Connor Murphy, whose instinctive way of treating people right has inspired Vlasic over the past few years. But Bedard is the obvious choice, and everyone in the organization knows it.
Bedard’s Season and What’s Next
Bedard finished the season with 75 points in 69 games, an eight-point improvement over last season in 13 fewer games. He was on an even more impressive pace (44 points in 31 games) before a December 12th shoulder injury derailed his momentum. Bedard said he took responsibility for the team’s slide down the standings after that injury, a telling sign of the accountability mindset he’s already embracing.
He capped the year with two gorgeous assists in Wednesday’s season finale, showcasing the playmaking vision that’s become a bigger part of his game. Bedard isn’t just a scorer anymore; he’s a complete offensive engine who makes everyone around him better.
As for his upcoming contract negotiations as a restricted free agent, Bedard kept things predictably low-key. His agent said talks will start in May, but Bedard insisted he hasn’t thought about numbers and is “not smart enough” to calculate them himself.
“I know I want to be here, and we’ll get it done soon,” he said. “I don’t think if it’s not done in a month, there’s any worry.”
Davidson said the Blackhawks intend to be “more than fair” in negotiations while also conveying to Bedard’s camp that they need to preserve enough cap space to build a strong team around him. It’s a balancing act; pay Bedard what he’s worth without handcuffing the roster construction moving forward.
Barring something unforeseen, Connor Bedard will be the Chicago Blackhawks’ next captain. He wants it, his teammates want it, and the organization knows it makes sense on every level. The only question is whether Davidson makes it official before training camp or waits until the season starts.
Either way, the “C” is his. Bedard’s ready for it, and the Blackhawks are ready to follow him.
