Blackhawks extend Davidson as focus shifts to Bedard deal
The Blackhawks have extended Kyle Davidson’s contract, keeping the general manager in place as the organization turns its attention to Connor Bedard. The move was announced Wednesday in Chicago during the team’s game against the San Jose Sharks at United Center. The Blackhawks said the focus now is getting Bedard signed to a long-term deal before he can become a restricted free agent on July 1.
Blackhawks keep continuity at the top
Danny Wirtz, the Blackhawks chairman and CEO, said the team is committed to the plan Davidson has put in place. He said the organization believes Davidson has the right insight, the right staff around him, and the ability to keep building toward a championship team. Davidson, 37, has been with the Blackhawks organization since 2010 and became the full-time general manager in March 2022 after first serving in an interim role that began in October 2021.
Terms of the extension were not disclosed. The decision keeps the Blackhawks aligned with the executive who has guided the team through a rebuild centered on draft picks and development. Chicago finished 29-39-14 and missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the sixth straight season.
Bedard remains the priority
The Blackhawks made clear that the next major contract focus is Bedard, the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft. The 20-year-old is finishing the final season of the three-year, $2. 85 million entry-level contract he signed on his 18th birthday, July 17, 2023. He can become a restricted free agent on July 1, making the coming weeks important for both sides.
Bedard leads the Blackhawks with 73 points, including 30 goals and 43 assists. In 218 games with Chicago, he has 201 points on 75 goals and 126 assists. Wirtz said the club is happy with the way Bedard competes and leads, and added that the intention is to have him remain with the Blackhawks for a long time.
Davidson called the support from Wirtz vital to the work of building the roster into a team that can compete for years to come. He said the organization still has work to do, but he is excited to keep building a team that fans can be proud of. The Blackhawks, and the Blackhawks rebuild, now move forward with that message at the center.
What the Blackhawks are building around
The Blackhawks have leaned on a young core as they continue their rebuild under Davidson. Frank Nazar, the No. 13 pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, is third on the team with 41 points. Anton Frondell, the No. 3 pick in the 2025 draft, made his NHL debut on March 24 and has nine points in 11 games.
Davidson also drafted defenseman Artyom Levshunov with the No. 2 pick in 2024 and acquired goalie Spencer Knight from the Florida Panthers on March 1, 2025. Those moves are part of the long arc the Blackhawks are trying to push forward while keeping Bedard at the center of the plan.
Wirtz said the organization cannot rush to the finish line before the right steps are in place. He said the goal is to compete for and win Stanley Cups, but that the process has to continue in the proper order. For now, the Blackhawks have secured their general manager, and the next major step is clear: the Bedard contract.
What comes next
The Blackhawks are expected to keep working toward an extension for Bedard as the July 1 restricted free agency date approaches. That makes the blackhawks’ next move one of the most closely watched storylines around the team, with the front office now trying to lock in the face of the franchise while continuing the rebuild under Davidson.
