Getty Blackhawks will use a rookie on the top line.
The Chicago Blackhawks start to the 2026-2027 campaign has been made complicated as they begin play without their new captain, Connor Bedard. The team appeared to miss Bedard in their opening night matchup versus the Vegas Golden Knights, in which they lost 5-2 to last season’s Stanley Cup finalists. Bedard has joined the team for their opening road trip, but has not yet been cleared for activity. The Blackhawks will have to survive this initial stretch of the season without their franchise player for now. Bedard
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