Connor Bedard Not Close to Practicing After Surgery

Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard is not yet close to joining the team for practice as he recovers from shoulder surgery performed in July. Head coach Jeff Blashill confirmed his status, indicating Bedard is expected to remain sidelined until around November and will miss the start of the regular season. While he has participated in limited training camp activities like taking slap shots, he has not yet ramped up his workload following a stellar 30-goal, 45-assist campaign last year.