Frank Nazar inks a massive seven-year extension with Chicago, betting big on the kid who's already flashed elite potential behind Connor Bedard. The 21-year-old rookie piled up 26 points in 53 games last season, earning top-six minutes and a spot on the second line with vets like Bertuzzi and Teravainen. Blackhawks brass sees him as the two-way spark that lightens Bedard's load, but whispers from the front office hint at the risks of locking him up after just 56 NHL games.

The Blackhawks limp into the post-Olympic grind with a roster on the bubble, forcing GM Kyle Davidson to weigh selling vets like Foligno, Dickinson and Murphy against chasing wildcard dreams around Bedard. Coaches Blashill and staff huddle over center tweaks, sliding Nazar back while Bedard reclaims faceoff duties, and blue-line battles pit Korchinski against Del Mastro for precious minutes.

The Chicago Blackhawks quietly position themselves as frontrunners to land Vancouver's Elias Pettersson, armed with draft picks and prospects like Marek Vanacker that could tempt a rebuilding Canucks front office. GM Patrik Allvin fields calls as the trade deadline looms just 11 days away, with whispers of Pettersson's no-trade clause softening amid Vancouver's rebuild talk.

Connor Bedard sits out Team Canada's 2026 Olympic roster, and the hockey world erupts in debate over whether the Blackhawks phenom earned his spot after a scorching NHL start. Insiders whisper about politics from his World Championships no-show last year, while GM Doug Armstrong insists an injury didn't sway the call they made weeks ago. Blackhawks fans seethe as Crosby, McDavid, and MacKinnon gear up without Chicago's sniper, raising stakes for Bedard's response back in the NHL grind.

Connor Bedard's omission from Team Canada's Olympic roster looked like a tough call amid a stacked lineup of McDavid, Crosby, and veterans, but now it stings after Canada's gold medal dreams crumble against Team USA. Insiders whisper that coach Jon Cooper leaned hard on familiarity from the 4 Nations Face-Off, passing on the Blackhawks phenom despite his all-star surge post-injury.

Connor Bedard sits for Team Canada in today's USA showdown, leaving fans scratching heads over the Blackhawks phenom's Olympic absence. Coaches opt for experience in this high-stakes border battle, but whispers from the bench hint at deeper strategy amid Canada's comeback path. With McDavid and MacKinnon carrying the load after that Finland thriller, Bedard's scratch raises eyebrows on what it means for Canada's gold hopes.