Chicago Blackhawks rookie phenom Connor Bedard could be sidelined for a while. During Friday’s game against the New Jersey Devils, Bedard was bringing the puck into the offensive zone when Devils defenseman Brendan Smith delivered a big hit on the rookie phenom.
Bedard immediately went to the locker room and was ruled out for the remainder of the contest. On Saturday, the Blackhawks announced that Bedard had been placed on injured reserve after suffering a fractured jaw as a result of the hit.
Before being forced out of the lineup, Bedard was widely viewed as the Calder Trophy frontrunner, which is annually awarded to the NHL’s top rookie. Bedard had 33 points (15 goals & 18 assists) in 39 games for the Blackhawks before the injury.
It’s currently unclear exactly how long Bedard will be out of the lineup. Even if it’s just a few weeks, that could completely alter the Calder Trophy race for the 2023-24 season.
Here’s a look at the top Calder Trophy contenders if Bedard misses substantial time:
Luke Hughes
New Jersey Devils defenseman Luke Hughes has also put together quite a spectacular rookie campaign up to this point. Hughes is just one point behind Adam Fantilli and Marco Rossi when it comes to points by a rookie. The former first-round pick has tallied 23 points (seven goals & 16 assists) in 38 games this season.
Hughes previously had a four-game point streak late last month and has tallied at least one point in five of his last six contests. In addition, the Devils blue-liner had scored a goal in three consecutive games and joined Barry Beck (1977-78) as the only player in franchise history to achieve that feat. Hughes has been heavily involved in New Jersey’s offensive attack and is among the team’s top two defensive pairings. Despite being a defenseman, Hughes ranks fourth on the Devils in points (23), while also ranking third on the team in assists (16).
Adam Fantilli
Columbus Blue Jackets forward Adam Fantilli is currently tied for second in the NHL in points (33) behind Bedard and could be the top contender for the Calder Trophy if Bedard is out for a while. Fantilli has registered 11 goals and 13 assists in 41 games throughout the 2023-24 campaign thus far.
Fantilli is currently centering the Blue Jackets’ top line and skating alongside star winger Johnny Gaudreau and forward Justin Danforth. Over the last five games, the University of Michigan product has tallied two goals and an assist. Fantilli has recently seen his ice time increase as he’s averaging 19:38 over his last three games and has logged at least 20:18 in each of his last two contests. While he’s not quite as lethal as Bedard, Fantilli has a chance to make a run at the award if Bedard misses a lofty amount of time.
Marco Rossi
Another forward who could stake a claim to the Calder Trophy is Minnesota Wild center Marco Rossi. Rossi is tied with Fantilli for second among rookies in points (24), and has logged 12 goals and 12 assists in 38 games in 2023-24.
Much like Fantilli, Rossi has thrived during his rookie campaign to the point where he’s now skating on the Wild’s top line with Matt Boldy and Mats Zuccarello. Rossi recently scored a goal in a 4-3 overtime win against the Blue Jackets on Saturday. The 22-year-old had played in 21 games over the previous two seasons, but this is the first season in which he’s earned considerable playing time. Rossi’s offensive prowess is going to be even more necessary in the coming weeks as star winger Kirill Kaprizov is currently on injured reserve due to an upper-body injury.
Brock Faber
Luke Hughes isn’t the only talented defenseman in the rookie ranks this season. Minnesota Wild defenseman Brock Faber has really burst onto the scene with 19 points (two goals & 17 assists) in 38 games during the 2023-24 campaign.
After appearing in just two games during the 2022-23 season, Faber has developed into a stellar defensive piece for the Wild. Faber is coming off of a three-assist performance in a 4-3 overtime win against the Columbus Blue Jackets in his most recent game. The 21-year-old’s 17 assists are second only to Bedard (18) among rookies. While the scoring numbers haven’t been eye-popping thus far, Faber has still established himself as one of the most impressive rookies this season and would deserve Calder Trophy consideration if Bedard falls out of the mix.
