New Delhi, Sept. 15 -- For three seasons, Connor Bedard has been the Chicago Blackhawks' best player and the public face of a rebuild that has not yet reached the playoffs. On Tuesday, the club made that standing official, naming the 21-year-old its 37th captain. Only Jonathan Toews was younger when Chicago last handed the job to a franchise center. Toews was 20. Bedard is 21 years and 60 days old.

Bedard succeeds Nick Foligno, who served as captain from September 18, 2024, until he was traded to the Minnesota Wild on March 6. The announcement follows Bedard's five-year, $75 million contract extension in July, which carries a $15 million average annual value through 2030-31. Chicago selected him first overall in the 2023 NHL Draft and ha...