Connor Bedard will not open the 2026-27 season in the Chicago Blackhawks lineup, but fantasy managers should not mistake a delayed start for a lost season. My projection is 32 goals, 47 assists and 79 points in 70 games, a total that keeps Bedard in the high-end fantasy centre conversation despite missing October and potentially requiring a short ramp-up period in early November.
The Blackhawks announced that Bedard underwent surgery on his left shoulder on July 8, with an approximate four-month recovery timeline. That creates obvious draft-day risk, especially in weekly leagues without injured-reserve flexibility. It also creates a possible discount on a player who produced 30 goals and 45 assists for 75 points in only 69 games last season.
Bedard’s 1.09 points-per-game pace would have translated to approximately 91 points over the NHL’s new 84-game schedule. Chicago’s 2026-27 schedule is expanding to 84 games, making per-game production especially important when evaluating an injured player.
The upside comes from what may become the most talented power-play group of Bedard’s NHL career. A projected unit featuring Roman Kantserov, Anton Frondell, Patrick Kane and Artyom Levshunov gives him more shooting talent, puck movement and deception. The injury lowers Bedard’s projected season total, but it does not necessarily lower his per-game ceiling.
How Many Points Will Connor Bedard Score in 2026-27?
My official Connor Bedard point projection for 2026-27 is 32 goals, 47 assists, and 79 points in 70 games. That works out to 1.13 points per game, representing a modest increase from last season rather than an unrealistic breakout assumption.
The calculation starts with Bedard’s 75 points in 69 games, or 1.087 points per game. I applied a four-percent improvement for normal age development, stronger offensive support and a potentially more dangerous first power-play unit.
I then projected 70 games because Bedard is expected to miss October and could require additional time before immediately returning to his usual workload. Multiplying a projected 1.13 points-per-game pace by 70 games produces approximately 79 points.
| Season/Projection | Games | Goals | Assists | Points | Points Per Game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 Actual | 69 | 30 | 45 | 75 | 1.09 |
| 2026-27 Projection | 70 | 32 | 47 | 79 | 1.13 |
Why Connor Bedard Can Still Approach 80 Points After Missing October
The biggest reason I am not aggressively lowering Bedard is that his shoulder injury affects availability more than talent. He has already demonstrated that he can create offence at an elite rate without a fully developed supporting cast.
A deeper Chicago lineup should give him more opportunities to attack off controlled entries instead of carrying nearly every possession himself. Bedard will remain the focal point, but the Blackhawks should finally have enough skill to make opposing penalty killers respect multiple shooting threats.
Patrick Kane’s return is particularly interesting for fantasy hockey. Kane signed a two-year contract to return to Chicago, creating the possibility of the franchise icon playing beside Bedard at even strength or on the first power play.
Kane remains a creative distributor who can manipulate penalty killers and find seams through the middle of the ice. If Chicago uses Kane and Bedard together on the top unit, Bedard should receive cleaner one-timer opportunities and more chances to attack defenders following cross-ice puck movement.
Kantserov and Frondell add youth, speed and finishing potential, while Levshunov possesses the right-handed shot and offensive instincts to develop into a productive power-play quarterback. All three are listed within Chicago’s young NHL group, although their exact roles will remain fluid entering training camp.
This group will experience inconsistency, but its overall skill level is considerably higher than what surrounded Bedard during the early stages of Chicago’s rebuild.
Connor Bedard’s Fantasy Hockey Ceiling and Draft Value
Bedard has a realistic path to beating this projection. If he returns near the beginning of November, avoids setbacks and immediately resumes top-line and first-unit power-play usage, an 82-to-85-point finish remains possible.
The downside range is closer to 68-to-72 points if his recovery takes longer than anticipated, his shot volume declines after surgery, or the Blackhawks initially ease him back into heavy minutes.
From a fantasy draft perspective, I would value Bedard as a high-end second centre with first-centre upside on a per-game basis. His name recognition could still prevent him from becoming a true bargain, but his injury may cause other managers to focus too heavily on the games he will miss instead of the production he can deliver after returning.
In leagues with multiple injured-reserve positions, I would be comfortable drafting Bedard earlier because October can be managed with a replacement-level centre. In shallow formats without an IR position, the missed games carry more weight and should push him several rounds down the draft board.
The key is not expecting Bedard to finish among the overall scoring leaders. Fantasy managers should instead target elite per-game production, strong shot totals, first-unit power-play points and a potentially dominant second half.
Connor Bedard Career NHL Stats
| Type | GP | G | A | P | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regular Season | 219 | 75 | 128 | 203 | -98 |
| Playoffs | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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