Why Blackhawks’ Bedard is skipping World Championship

Posted May 03, 2026 2:26 pm

By Scott Powers

Connor Bedard didn’t want to jump into a decision after the NHL season on whether he’d play for Team Canada at the upcoming World Championship in Switzerland.

His initial instinct is always to play more hockey. But after missing time this season with an injured shoulder, Bedard understood he owed it to himself and the Blackhawks to do what was best for next season. It’s what ultimately drove his recent decision to decline Canada’s offer to play in the international tournament and focus on getting his shoulder to where it needs to be for next season.

“Kind of seeing obviously how your body’s feeling after the season and take a week or whatever,” Bedard said by phone on Friday. “I feel pretty good for the most part. I think just talking to doctors and stuff and obviously given the injury I had, just a little more time to rehab. I wouldn’t say heal, but kind of rehab and get that strength and stuff would be beneficial. It’s kind of a big thought process behind it.”

Bedard injured his right shoulder during a game on Dec. 12, 2025, and returned nearly a month later after missing 12 games. In his return, he abstained from taking faceoffs until late February to give his shoulder additional time to strengthen. He produced 19 goals and 25 assists in 31 games prior to the injury. After coming back, he had 11 goals and 20 assists in his final 38 games.

“I thought it felt pretty good, honestly, especially after the Olympic break,” Bedard said. “Maybe the 10 games or whatever coming back, it didn’t feel bad, but I think obviously you’re just coming back from injury and getting used to it all again. And then after the Olympic break, I thought I played my best hockey up until maybe 10 games left. I felt really good with it. I think it was good, and that’s a positive sign. But like I said, it’s time to make sure it’s at the best possible place it can be going into next season.”

With every one of Bedard’s decisions on playing for Team Canada, there often comes an extra layer of attention. He played for Canada at the World Championship in 2024 after his NHL rookie season. He opted last year not to play for Canada and focused on his individual development after a disappointing second NHL season. He wasn’t selected to Canada’s Olympic team in February. Some fans wondered whether Bedard turning down Canada’s previous invitation impacted his Olympic chances. No one from Team Canada indicated that, though.

“His name was right there till the last second because we could have named him and then moved forward,” Team Canada general manager Doug Armstrong said at the time. “The reality is there are so many good players, and we just had difficult decisions to make.”

Bedard didn’t sound worried that his decision this year would impact his standing with Team Canada in the future. There is a lot of time until the next Olympics. Still, he doesn’t like turning down chances to play for Canada or just playing competitively.

“When you get the opportunity (to play for Canada), it’s hard to say no,” Bedard said. “Like it’s May 1 and I already miss playing hockey games, dreading not being able to play games for four or five months. To say no to an opportunity where you get to play games and play for your country is hard. But at the end of the day, my number one focus is the Blackhawks and being the best player I can be come October or whatever the season starts. I feel like this is going to be beneficial to me in that way.”

Hockey fans hold signs as Blackhawks center Connor Bedard warms up before a January game against the Washington Capitals in Chicago. AP

Bedard has already put in some offseason work. He joined Blackhawks teammate Oliver Moore in attending Adam Oates’ camp in Florida recently. Bedard said they were there for three or four days and got on the ice a few times.

“I think any coach you work with or skate with, you can learn stuff from, especially someone with a career like that,” Bedard said. “So I think for me, it’s taking everything that I can learn and trying to apply it as best I can.”

Bedard has been trying this offseason to relax more and step away from hockey. His way of relaxing is playing golf. He described his game as OK.

“I haven’t committed myself enough the past few summers,” Bedard said. “I’m going to try to work on it a little more this year. The itch is definitely there, so I got to do what I can. But I wouldn’t say I’m elite, that’s for sure.”

Bedard does plan to sit down with Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson at some point this offseason and negotiate his next contract. As Bedard has said a number of times, it’s not keeping him up at night.

“Whatever suits (Davidson) and the staff,” Bedard said. “It’s going to be a really busy time from when the lottery is, whenever that is, until the end of the development camp and then obviously they kind of get to breathe a bit. But yeah, just whenever, whatever works for both of us and have a chat obviously with my agents and stuff. I’ve said it lots of times, not worrying about it, thinking about it at all. So, yeah, just kind of whenever we can do that.”