CHICAGO — The Chicago Blackhawks placed Connor Bedard, the team’s leading scorer, on injured reserve Monday with an upper-body injury.
Bedard, who has a team-high 19 goals and 25 assists in 31 games, got hurt in the final seconds of Friday night’s 3-2 loss at St. Louis. The 20-year-old center attempted to win a draw to give his team one last chance, but he was knocked down by Blues center Brayden Schenn. He grasped at his right shoulder and immediately headed to the locker room, accompanied by a trainer.
Bedard’s upper-body injury is considered week-to-week — although Blackhawks coach Jeff Blashill noted that the forward wanted to get back as soon as next week. The Blackhawks decided on at least a two-week shutdown to see how Bedard responds to rehab.
He will be re-evaluated in early January, but he is not considering surgery at this time.
“We’ll get through the new year and then kind of reevaluate and see where he’s at,” coach Jeff Blashill said after practice.
Added center Jason Dickinson: “It’s going to be on everybody to step up and do their part.”
Bedard has handled the injury well, but it comes at an unfortunate time. Olympic rosters are due Dec. 31, and Bedard was one of several forwards still on the bubble to make Team Canada’s roster in the final month of evaluation.
Without Bedard to rely on offensively, the Blackhawks are focusing on tightening their defensive game as they begin their road trip this week.
“Obviously it sucks, but just need guys to step up and be able to make those plays that he’d make on a night in, night out basis,” center Frank Nazar said.
The Blackhawks play the Toronto Maple Leafs Tuesday night in the opener of a three-game road trip.
Captain Nick Foligno is nearing a return from his left hand injury, and he could play on the team’s road trip, Blashill said.
“Nobody’s going to replace Connor on their own,” Blashill said. “… We need to be better defensively. … We’re going to have to score those net-front-type goals, the tip-type goals. We’re not going to score from distance the way Connor can score from distance at a regular rate, so we’re going to have to make sure we’re scoring dirtier.”
Chicago recalled defenseman Ethan Del Mastro and goaltender Laurent Brossoit from Rockford of the American Hockey League. Brossoit had been in the minors on a conditioning assignment.
Del Mastro, 22, has two goals and four assists in 27 career games with Chicago.
Information from ESPN’s Emily Kaplan and The Associated Press was used in this report.
