Connor Bedard signs $15M deal, rejects offer-sheet route like Carlsson

Connor Bedard and the Chicago Blackhawks finalized a five-year contract worth $15 million per season on 18 June 2026.

What happened?

The deal caps a month of talks and makes Bedard the NHL’s third-highest-paid player. His agent, Don Meehan, told Mark Lazerus of The Athletic that Bedard never considered an offer sheet even after Leo Carlsson’s contract saga played out in the same month.

Bedard’s preference was for an even shorter deal, but Chicago pushed for eight years. They settled on five years-the same length Carlsson signed with Philadelphia before Anaheim matched it.

Why it matters for Connor Bedard

The contract keeps Bedard in Chicago through his age-21 season. He’ll miss the first few weeks of 2026-27 because of a shoulder injury suffered in the offseason.

At 21, he’s now the third-highest-paid player in the league, behind only Auston Matthews and Nathan MacKinnon. The Blackhawks clearly see him as the franchise cornerstone.

How Bedard’s move compares to Carlsson’s

Carlsson went second overall to Anaheim in 2023, minutes after Bedard went first. Both centers signed five-year deals in June 2026, tying their careers together in real time.

They face each other for the first time on 28 January 2027, likely after Bedard’s return from injury.

What comes next?

Bedard will rehab his shoulder and join the Blackhawks once cleared. The new contract locks him in long-term, giving Chicago a core piece for years to come.

Chicago also locked in Carlsson’s rival at the same price point. That coincidence keeps both young stars in the spotlight all season long.