Connor Bedard injured in training today in just about the worst way possible

According to a report from Chicago Blackhawks insider Ryan McGregor, Blackhawks superstar Connor Bedard suffered an injury during training today.

From McGregor:

The worst part is that McGregor reports that Bedard appeared the injure his left shoulder which should be of major concern after he dislocated his right shoulder during a game against the St. Louis Blues last season. He missed 12 games due to the injury and never quite looked the same in his return to action.

UPDATE: We now have video of the apparent injury.

Needless to say, this could be a huge concern for Bedard and the Blackhawks moving forward.

From the moment he stepped onto NHL ice, Bedard showcased the elite shot, vision and hockey IQ that made him such a coveted prospect. He captured the Calder Trophy as the NHL's Rookie of the Year after producing 61 points in just 68 games despite missing significant time with a fractured jaw suffered in January, 2024. That injury was his first major setback as a professional, but he returned ahead of schedule and finished the season strong, reinforcing the belief that he was destined to become one of the league's biggest stars.

While the broken jaw was a freak injury, Bedard's shoulder has quickly become a much more closely watched part of his health profile. During the 2025-26 season, he suffered a right shoulder injury in the closing seconds of a game against the St. Louis Blues while taking a faceoff. Initially described as an upper-body injury, it was later confirmed to involve his shoulder and ultimately forced him to miss 12 games. The injury came at a particularly unfortunate time, as Bedard was among the NHL's leading scorers and was putting together the best stretch of his young career before the setback interrupted his momentum.

The encouraging news for Chicago was that Bedard avoided surgery and was able to return after rehabilitation. Even after coming back, however, the Blackhawks managed his workload carefully, including limiting his faceoff responsibilities early in his return to the lineup as he continued regaining full confidence in the shoulder. He still finished the season with career highs offensively, proving that even while dealing with the lingering effects of the injury, he remained one of the league's brightest young stars.

Unfortunately, Bedard's shoulder has remained a topic of conversation. During offseason training in the summer of 2026, reports emerged that he left a workout after falling awkwardly on his shoulder, creating renewed concern among Blackhawks fans. While the severity was not immediately known, any shoulder-related issue involving a player with his history naturally raises questions about long-term durability. Shoulder injuries can become recurring problems for NHL players because of the constant contact, board battles and faceoffs that place significant stress on the joint.

That said, there is still little evidence to label Bedard as injury-prone. Through his first few NHL seasons, his injuries have largely been unrelated incidents rather than the result of chronic wear and tear. The broken jaw and shoulder injury came in entirely different circumstances, and there has been no indication that either has diminished the elite offensive abilities that make him one of hockey's premier young talents.

If Bedard can stay healthy moving forward, the Blackhawks still have every reason to believe they possess a future Hart Trophy candidate and perennial All-Star capable of leading their rebuild for the next decade. The biggest priority now is ensuring his shoulder remains healthy enough to withstand the physical grind of an 82-game season and the many years that Chicago hopes are still ahead. Given his age, work ethic and exceptional skill level, there is every reason to believe Bedard's best hockey is still to come—as long as his shoulders can withstand the punishment that comes with being one of the NHL's most heavily targeted stars.