Chicago Blackhawks coach Jeff Blashill praised Connor Bedard's all-around game a day after the center was left off Canada's roster for the upcoming Winter Olympics.
The 20-year-old Bedard is on injured reserve with a shoulder injury. He skated before practice on Monday and could return this month.
Bedard ranked among the NHL leaders with 19 goals and 25 assists in 31 games before he got hurt on Dec. 12 at St. Louis. Team Canada general manager Doug Armstrong said Wednesday that Bedard was in the mix "right there to the last second," and the injury wasn't much of a factor in the decision.
While acknowledging the difficulty of finalizing Canada's roster for the 2026 Games, Blashill took aim at some of the conversation surrounding Bedard in his third season since he was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 draft.