Blackhawks issue major update regarding rookie sensation Connor Bedard

Shortly thereafter, an announcement came out of Chicago confirming that Bedard had broken his jaw and would miss approximately 6-to-8 weeks of action. Certainly not what neither Bedard nor the Hawks were hoping to hear, but the silver-lining was always that Bedard would be able to return at some point this season.

Bedard's injury forced him out of the 2023-24 NHL All-Star Game, preventing fans from seeing his tremendous skill set on full display alongside some of the elite players in the game. It's never a good thing when the brightest young stars in the game are on the sidelines, but thankfully, we have an update on that front.

The Blackhawks have confirmed on Thursday that Bedard and the team are currently meeting with doctors to determine whether or not he'll be cleared to return to game action tonight when the Blackhawks take on the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Bedard has been limited to just 39 games this season because of his injury. However, he has been extremely productive in his rookie campaign, notching 15 goals and 33 points over that span.

Originally, Minnesota's Brock Faber appeared to have taken over the Calder Trophy race, for the NHL's most outstanding rookie, but with Bedard now on the cusp of a return, it will be interesting to see if he'll be able to do enough between now and the end of the season to reclaim his standing at the top of the list in the Calder Trophy race.