CHICAGO — Blackhawks center Connor Bedard is expected to miss six to eight weeks after he had surgery to repair his fractured jaw.
The team announced the operation and timeline for the 18-year-old rookie. It means he will miss the Feb. 3 NHL All-Star Game in Toronto — dealing a blow to the league.
Bedard got hurt when he was leveled by New Jersey defenseman Brendan Smith midway through the first period of a 4-2 loss to the Devils. The No. 1 overall pick in last year’s draft was hit after he carried the puck into the Blackhawks’ offensive zone.
While Chicago has struggled this season, falling into last place in the Central Division, Bedard has been impressive. He has a team-high 15 goals and 18 assists in 39 games.
The Blackhawks’ long list of injured forwards also includes Nick Foligno (fractured left finger), Anthony Beauvillier (left wrist), Tyler Johnson (right foot) and Andreas Athanasiou (groin). But Joey Anderson and Taylor Raddysh returned to the lineup for a 2-1 loss to Edmonton.