Blackhawks News: Connor Bedard signs ELC on his birthday

The Chicago Blackhawks are a team loaded with hope right now. They won the right to draft Connor Bedard with the first overall pick in 2023.

Of course, there was some anticipation leading up to that selection but everybody knew that they were going to select Bedard.

The Regina Pats forward had one of the best seasons in the history of major junior hockey. Calling him a generational talent has become a thing over the last two years or so.

He was also only 17 years old when Chicago selected him first overall. He didn’t turn 18 until Monday, July 17th which also now happens to be the day that he signed his entry-level deal.

The Chicago Blackhawks announced some big news on Monday morning.

Bedard is locked in with the Blackhawks on a three-year deal. It is going to carry a cap hit of $950.000 for those three years.

If he lives up to the hype, he will obviously get a major pay increase. All of the former number-one picks in recent years are all signed to long-term deals worth north of seven million dollars. Bedard would love to follow that path.

Signing a deal worth all of that money on your 18th birthday has to be a great feeling for him. This is an incredible day for him in his life that he will never forget.

Now that Bedard is officially signed, it is time to start thinking about the actual hockey portion of things. Fans can start dreaming about line combinations, the future of his fellow Blackhawks prospects, and winning big games with Bedard at the center of it.

The entire franchise has been changed for the foreseeable future. A very young kid with an elite shot, amazing hockey IQ, an ability to make plays using his skating/awareness, and a genuinely good attitude is leading the way.

The Blackhawks organization should be just as happy on this day as Bedard himself. All of the rebuilding has led to this. Now, it is time to see what they can do with it over the next few years. His rookie season should be incredibly fun and the month of October can’t come fast enough.