{"id":653927,"date":"2026-09-02T04:27:13","date_gmt":"2026-09-02T04:27:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/653927\/"},"modified":"2026-09-02T04:27:13","modified_gmt":"2026-09-02T04:27:13","slug":"connor-bedard-should-captain-the-chicago-blackhawks-leadership-group-the-lead","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/653927\/","title":{"rendered":"Connor Bedard Should Captain the Chicago Blackhawks’ Leadership Group \u2013 The Lead"},"content":{"rendered":"

Who\u2019s captaining the Chicago Blackhawks has been a topic of discussion ever since the team traded Nick Foligno<\/a> at last year\u2019s trade deadline. Before Foligno\u2019s tenure, the captaincy was left vacant for a season after Jonathan Toews<\/a>\u2018 15-year stint.\u00a0<\/p>\n

This time, the search should take only the remainder of the offseason. Connor Bedard<\/a> is the clear-cut choice to captain the young, up-and-coming Blackhawks.<\/p>\n

Entering his fourth year, Bedard has already proven his status as one of the league\u2019s top talents. His ability to stay healthy has been a cause for concern, but there\u2019s no denying his impact when he is on the ice. Even beyond his play, his leadership qualities are clear.<\/p>\n

Connor Bedard is Clearly Committed<\/p>\n

The average hockey fan will never see what the everyday workings of a locker room look like. The captaincy is one variable that will almost always look different from the outside than it does on the inside. Fans can gauge a captain\u2019s quality only so far, based on what they see on the ice and in media statements. Even Bedard, who hasn\u2019t held the \u2018C\u2019 yet, has shown some teeth as a potential captain.<\/p>\n

After signing his extension, Bedard\u2019s agent Don Meehan discussed the situation with Ben Pope. There were plenty of quotable moments, but a few stuck out the most.<\/p>\n

\u201c[He] believes in the direction of the team, really believes in his teammates and doesn\u2019t accept any kind of criticism of the organization or his teammates or anything,\u201d Meehan said about Bedard\u2019s feelings towards the team.<\/p>\n

He has been more determined than ever, even after his offseason shoulder injury. If anything, it has driven him even more. Meehan said<\/a> he told Kyle Davidson to expect Bedard in his office as soon as he feels fit to play, expecting clearance even if it\u2019s weeks ahead of schedule.<\/p>\n

Probably the most telling moment of the whole offseason was Bedard\u2019s feelings towards an offer sheet, or the lack thereof.<\/p>\n

After Leo Carlsson<\/a> signed a five-year, $18 million offer sheet<\/a>, questions swirled about Bedard, a restricted free agent at the time. After the dust settled, it seems as though it wasn\u2019t even in the cards. In fact, he went as far as to say the risk of not playing hockey in Chicago was never worth it.<\/p>\n

Connor Bedard is as much a Blackhawks diehard as he is a player.<\/p>\n

“I let them know from the start an offer sheet wasn’t something I was ever going to do.”<\/p>\n

“The risk of not being a Blackhawk wasn’t worth any amount of money.”<\/p>\n

Connor Bedard shares insight into staying in Chicago \ud83d\udc40 pic.twitter.com\/Zs7VyfLes8<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 OverDrive (@OverDrive1050) July 24, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

When the Blackhawks first traded Patrick Kane away, the reasoning was clear. For a youth movement, it\u2019s difficult for young players to rise when they\u2019re expected to defer to what may be the greatest Blackhawks player of all time. With some time away, the youth have had a chance to ascend and take ownership of the locker room. Even so, Kane\u2019s return complicates the captaincy.<\/p>\n

Kane didn\u2019t wear a letter for a lot longer than people remember. It wasn\u2019t until after the glory years that he established himself as a leader, wearing the \u2018A\u2019 from 2015-16 until he was traded in 2023. He wore an \u2018A\u2019 for just one season in Detroit and had captaincy experience with Team USA. With a two-year contract, is a short captaincy stint in play?<\/p>\n

It seems unlikely, but the possibility remains. At the end of the day, the team is vastly different now than it was three years ago. As for the roster, no one knows it better than Bedard. He has been through virtually the entire youth movement, has headlined it, and will likely now captain it. But that doesn\u2019t mean Kane won\u2019t be a leader; in fact, it seems the opposite.<\/p>\n

Expect Kane to wear an \u2018A\u2019. It may not be his team fully, but he can lead no matter what. He knows how to win, what it means to be a Blackhawk, and what these young guns have to do to become more than just intriguing prospects. More than anything, Kane wants to contribute, and not just treat this contract as a reunion tour.<\/p>\n

The Rest of the Leadership Group<\/p>\n

Connor Bedard is almost certainly the captain; Kane should be an alternate. Assuming they follow last year\u2019s formula, there is one more alternate captaincy to hand out. A few names make sense depending on what route the team wants to take.<\/p>\n

Tyler Bertuzzi<\/a><\/p>\n

The neutral pick. Bert spent time with the letter last year during a career year. In fact, after the trade deadline, he and Bedard were the only letter bearers. Like Bedard, he knows the evolving group very well and has been a consistent presence since his signing in 2024. He seems to have found a rhythm in Chicago with Jeff Blashill, converting his motor-driven playstyle into a scoring threat around the blue paint. Bert seems like a safe, solid choice.<\/p>\n

Frank Nazar<\/a><\/p>\n

If the Blackhawks really want to emphasize youth, Nazar would be the choice. The second draft pick of the Davidson regime, Nazar boasts leadership potential. He plays with swagger, he celebrates hard after he scores, and he\u2019s energetic on the ice. He\u2019s part of the Blackhawks\u2019 long-term plans as Bedard\u2019s sidekick, and granting him the alternate captaincy would make that clearer than ever.<\/p>\n

Alex Vlasic<\/a><\/p>\n

Vlasic has an interesting history with the Blackhawks. He was drafted in 2019 and was a vocal<\/a> proponent of the benefits of departing from the Kane and Toews era. He reeks of confidence and is ready<\/a> to make the playoffs. Who better than the hometown kid, a responsible defenseman, and a confident presence to serve as an alternate captain? Hopefully, the benefits he claimed of a Kane-less locker room have worked, and he can compound his newfound comfort with the vets\u2019 return.<\/p>\n

The Verdict<\/p>\n

Connor Bedard is the captain, while Patrick Kane and Frank Nazar are the alternates. With so many options, the team could expand the leadership group with home-and-away alternates. Maybe Nazar and Kane assume the duties on the home front while Vlasic and Bert take the letters on the road. More than likely, they go with the three-man group, and Nazar seems like the high-potential choice.<\/p>\n

Although Bertuzzi was exceptional last season, the team remains committed to its youth. With Kane likely to assume duties as an alternate captain, it only makes sense for the team to give the last letter to one of their young contributors. Plus, as many coaches say, there is always room for more voices. Even without a letter, leaders emerge and can impact the locker room in their own unique way.<\/p>\n

Foligno was named captain on September 18th, right before training camp began<\/a>. Even though Bedard will not start the season with the team, mid-September seems like another likely announcement period.<\/p>\n

Keep the calendars marked, and let\u2019s see who the organization will entrust with the next era of Blackhawks hockey.<\/p>\n