The Chicago Blackhawks have named Connor Bedard of North Vancouver, British Columbia team captain according to Tracey Myers of nhl.com on Tuesday. At 21 years old and 60 days, Bedard is the second youngest Blackhawks captain in team history. He is only behind Canadian Olympic gold medalist Jonathan Toews of Winnipeg, Manitoba. Toews, who won a gold medal for Canada at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver and the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, was 20 years and 79 days when he was named captain. Bedard is the 27th Canadian born captain in the history of the Blackhawks.
Bedard played 69 games for the Blackhawks in 2025-26, and is set to play his fourth season in Chicago. This past season, he had 30 goals and 45 assists for 75 points. Bedard was a -18 with 50 penalty minutes, 21 power-play points, 226 shots on goal, 315 faceoff wins, 27 blocked shots, 31 hits, 27 takeaways, and 86 giveaways.
In 2024, Bedard won the Calder Trophy. In three seasons with the Blackhawks, he has 75 goals and 128 assists for 203 points in 219 games. Bedard is a -98 with 148 penalty minutes, 71 power-play points, 12 game-winning goals, 627 shots on goal, 773 faceoff wins, 91 blocked shots, 132 hits, 100 takeaways and 233 giveaways.
The first Canadian captain for the Blackhawks was Hockey Hall of Famer Dick Irvin of Hamilton, Ontario (1926 to 1929). He was followed by Ty Arbour of Waubaushene, Ontario (1930 to 1931), Marvin Wentworth of Grimsby, Ontario (1931 to 1932), Helge Bostrom of Winnipeg, Manitoba (1932 to 1933), Hockey Hall of Famer Earl Seibert of Berlin, Ontario (1940 to 1942), Hockey Hall of Famer Doug Bentley of Delisle, Saskatchewan (1942 to 1944 and 1949 to 1950), Hockey Hall of Famer Clint Smith of Assiniboia, Saskatchewan (1944 to 1945), Red Hamill of Toronto, Ontario (1946 to 1947), Gaye Stewart of Fort William, Ontario (1948 to 1949), Hockey Hall of Famer Jack Stewart of Pilot Mound, Manitoba (1950 to 1952), Hockey Hall of Famer Bill Gadsby of Calgary, Alberta (1952 to 1954), Gus Mortson of New Liskeard, Ontario (1954 to 1957), Ed Litzenberger of Neudorf, Saskatchewan (1958 to 1961), Hockey Hall of Famer Pierre Pilote of Kenogami, Quebec (1961 to 1968), Pat Stapleton of Sarnia, Ontario (1969 to 1970), Pit Martin of Noranda, Quebec (1975 to 1976), Keith Magnuson of Wadena, Saskatchewan (1976 to 1979), Terry Ruskowski of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan (1979 to 1982), Darryl Sutter of Viking, Alberta (1982 to 1987), Bob Murray of Kingston, Ontario (1985 to 1986), Hockey Hall of Famer Denis Savard of Gatineau, Quebec (1988 to 1989), Dirk Graham of Regina, Saskatchewan (1989 to 1995), Hockey Hall of Famer Doug Gilmour of Kingston (1999 to 2000), Adrian Aucoin of Ottawa, Ontario (2005 to 2007), Martin Lapointe of Ville St. Pierre, Quebec (2006), and Toews (2008 to 2023).
