"We have star players, too, that don’t seem to be protected as well as some of the other teams’ stars," Blackhawks captain Foligno said.

Since Bedard’s next contract will begin in 2026-27, those figures will play a critical role in determining his market value, and The Athletic's Scott Powers and Mark Lazerus think he could command as much as $17 million per season in his new contract.

Connor Bedard scored from a seemingly impossible angle, Arvid Soderblom stopped 34 shots and the Chicago Blackhawks beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-1.