Connor Bedard is now Blackhawks' captain, best player and face of franchise, all in one

The Chicago Blackhawks have officially named Connor Bedard as the 37th captain in franchise history for the 2026-27 season. Bedard, the 21-year-old star, has been the face of the franchise since the team won the draft lottery in May 2023 and was drafted in June 2023. He succeeds previous captains Jonathan Toews and Nick Foligno. Bedard expressed that he is truly humbled to lead the team as their best player and primary marketing focus.