Blackhawks' Connor Bedard: Out until January

Bedard (upper body) won't need surgery but will be sidelined until the calendar flips to 2026, Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times reports Monday.

Bedard was already placed on injured reserve, so his timeline shouldn't come as a huge surprise. Given his potential return date, the 20-year-old center should still be in the mix for a spot on Canada's Olympic roster in February. While Bedard is on the shelf, Frank Nazar figures to take on the first-line center role, though Jason Dickinson could also be in the mix.