Blackhawks' Connor Bedard Taking Olympic Snub in Stride

Team Canada’s 2026 Olympic Winter Games roster is bursting at the seams with top-notch NHL talent. From Connor McDavid all the way to burgeoning superstar Macklin Celebrini, it’s hard to see how anybody can go toe-to-toe with the best of the best from Canada.

Yet, when the Olympic roster was announced last week, one name was glaringly omitted from the list: Connor Bedard. The 20-year-old from British Columbia and former No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft had already cemented himself as one of the most potent centers the league had to offer. Through 181 career games, Bedard had amassed an impressive 178 points (62 goals and 108 assists), all on a Blackhawks team that has consistently been fighting for relevancy. Still, Bedard was left off the team, something that the young star is taking in stride.

“There’s disappointment for sure,” Bedard said. “Everyone in Canada would want to be on that team or any country that’s going, but there’s so many great players. They’ve got tough decisions to make so obviously you respect that. It’s a great team, you can’t really be mad at the roster they picked. There’s no hard feelings for me.”

Bedard was one of several notable snubs from Olympic rosters, alongside Dallas Stars left wing Jason Robertson, New York Rangers defenseman Adam Fox and New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer.

Bedard Could Still Go to Milan

Dec 12, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard (98) reacts in pain after a face off against St. Louis Blues center Brayden Schenn (not pictured) during the third period at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

Bedard, who was placed on injured reserve on Dec. 15 following a “freak accident” — at least in the words of Chicago Blackhawks head coach Jeff Blashill — with St. Louis Blues forward Brayden Schenn, has slowly been ramping up his recovery in recent days. He’s back practicing with the Blackhawks, and Blashill ruled that his current status is day to day.

“I’m feeling good, and hopefully pretty soon I can get back out there,” Bedard said.

While he won’t play in the Blackhawks’ next contest against the St. Louis Blues on Jan. 7, anything beyond that is a possibility.

With the fortunate news that he could be returning to the ice soon, Bedard said that Team Canada told him he’s on the list as a potential injury replacement should a forward on the current roster go down.

Looking in the Mirror

Despite some calling Bedard’s exclusion unfair, the young center has instead decided to look at his play and see how he can turn this disappointing outcome into one that makes him a better hockey player.

“The positive I take out of this is I can look at my game and see how I can improve,” Bedard said. “At the end of the day, the players pick the team with their play.”

He also said that when you don’t accomplish something you set out to do, “the only thing to do is look in the mirror and see where you can get better.”

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