VANCOUVER, British Columbia — The Blackhawks won’t have star rookie Connor Bedard as their All-Star Game representative. That announcement has been inevitable for weeks, ever since Bedard broke his jaw.
But Monday brought a surprise: For the first time since 2004, the Hawks won’t have an All-Star Game representative at all.
The NHL named Jets forward Kyle Connor and Rangers forward Vincent Trocheck as replacement All-Stars, filling the spots vacated by Bedard and injured Golden Knights forward Jack Eichel.
The league set a precedent last season of not necessarily picking a new representative from a star-lacking team when their original selection gets hurt. When Kraken forward Matty Beniers was injured, they selected Knights forward Chandler Stephenson instead of another Kraken player.
That precedent hadn’t quieted speculation about which relatively low-profile Hawk might go in Bedard’s stead this year, though, with Jason Dickinson emerging as the favorite. Dickinson recently mentioned teammates joking with him about the possibility.
Dickinson can now instead enjoy a warm vacation — or spend more time with his six-month-old daughter Willow. But Hawks fans might not have much reason to tune in to the festivities Feb. 1-3 in Toronto.
Bedard’s injury also cost him his chance Monday to play in his hometown. The Hawks won’t be back to Vancouver again this season, although they will come twice next season.
“He’s devastated not to be here and playing, let alone just being here,” coach Luke Richardson said. “But he’s on course [with his] recovery.”
No Perry revenge
Ex-Hawks forward Corey Perry was officially introduced Monday by the Oilers, but it seems the juicy potential storyline of him facing the Hawks on Thursday — the Hawks and Oilers’ third and final meeting this season — won’t come to fruition.
Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch told reporters in Edmonton that Perry will likely debut Saturday instead, giving him sufficient practice time this week to get up to speed.
Knoblauch also said the Oilers’ front office performed due diligence about Perry’s background and misconduct on the Hawks and said he’s confident Perry will not be a negative distraction. The Oilers have a history of openness toward players with off-ice controversies, having also signed Evander Kane in 2022 after his array of legal issues and contract termination by the Sharks.
Saturday marks the deadline for the NHL Players’ Association to file a grievance related to Perry’s Hawks contract termination. It remains unclear if they will do so.
Tocchet-Richardson love
Rick Tocchet reached his one-year anniversary as Canucks coach on Monday after coincidentally starting his tenure in Vancouver with a win over the Hawks this time last year.
He has done an excellent job since, making the Canucks one of this season’s biggest surprises as the Pacific Division leader. He and Richardson, who played together on the Flyers from 2000 to 2002, both praised each other extensively before the game.
“I’m a big fan of Luke Richardson and his work,” Tocchet said. “[The Hawks have] dealt with a million injuries. I don’t even know half the guys in the lineup sometimes because they’re coming up from the minors. But the one common denominator is they work hard. They play a lot of 2-1 hockey games.”
Said Richardson: “He’s coaching just the way he played. The [Canucks] play a ferocious, offensive, forechecking, attack game. ... He’s such a great motivator and he’s always excited — he’s got a lot of energy when he comes to the rink. That festers right into the team, and they look like they’ve been transformed.”