EXCLUSIVE 1-ON-1 INTERVIEW: Connor Bedard on being named Blackhawks captain

Pat Boyle sits down 1-on-1 with Connor Bedard after he is named the 37th captain in Blackhawks history. Bedard discusses becoming captain, his relationships with Nick Foligno and Patrick Kane, his recovery from shoulder surgery and potential return timeline, and his goal of helping the Blackhawks take the next step. After the interview, Pat and Charlie Roumeliotis wrap up the show by breaking down their biggest takeaways from the interview and discussing when they think Bedard will be back on the ice.

Pat Boyle goes solo for this episode, sitting down with Blackhawks play-by-play broadcaster Rick Ball. They discuss the return of Patrick Kane, the addition of Bowen Byram in a blockbuster offseason trade, the evolution of Hockey Night in Canada, Rick’s dynamic with Darren Pang, and the growing influence NHL players have over where they play.

On this episode of the Blackhawks Breakaway Podcast, Pat Boyle and Charlie Roumeliotis are joined by Barstool Chief, who shares his excitement for Patrick Kane's return to Chicago after his relentless pitch for getting Showtime back in the Blackhawks' sweater.  Chief also discusses the minute-long ovation Kane received at Wrigley Field before throwing out the first pitch at the Cubs-White Sox game, and why he believes Chicago's sports scene is in a great place with Connor Bedard, Pete Crow-Armstrong, Caleb Williams, Caleb Wilson, Kane and more. Then, Chief explains why he's optimistic about the Blackhawks heading into the 2026-27 season and why he believes they can be playing meaningful games deep into the year. Finally, Chief breaks down the Bowen Byram addition, discusses the type of No. 1 defenseman Byram can become and explains how his presence could help ease the workload on Chicago's other young defensemen as they continue to develop.

On this episode of the Blackhawks Breakaway Podcast, Pat Boyle and Charlie Roumeliotis are joined by CHSN Blackhawks color analyst Darren Pang to discuss Patrick Kane's return to Chicago and what it means for Connor Bedard's development. Pang also shares how Bedard is handling his shoulder injury, what he made of Bedard saying Chicago is "the only place I want to play" after signing his five-year, $75 million extension, and whether this could be the season Bedard is named the next captain of the Blackhawks. The conversation then shifts to the Bowen Byram trade, where Pang explains why he believes the Blackhawks will benefit from the move, whether Byram has the potential to become a No. 1 defenseman, and how his arrival could ease the pressure on Artyom Levshunov and Sam Rinzel. Finally, Pang shares the Blackhawks storylines he's watching most heading into training camp and explains why he believes the team can be playing meaningful games into April this season.

On this episode of the Blackhawks Breakaway Podcast, Pat Boyle and Charlie Roumeliotis react to Patrick Kane’s return to the Blackhawks on a two-year contract. Pat also sits down for an exclusive 1-on-1 interview with Kane to discuss why he chose to return to Chicago. Plus, Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson joins the show to explain the process of bringing the franchise icon back.

On this episode of the Blackhawks Breakaway Podcast, Pat Boyle and Charlie Roumeliotis break down Connor Bedard's five-year, $75 million contract extension and explain why it's a fair compromise for both the Blackhawks and their franchise cornerstone. Bedard also discusses his new deal, recovering from shoulder surgery, and why he would welcome a potential Patrick Kane reunion in Chicago. Plus, the guys look at the Blackhawks' 2026-27 schedule and react to reports that Kane's decision could come down to Chicago or Buffalo.

On this episode of the Blackhawks Breakaway Podcast, Pat Boyle and Charlie Roumeliotis discuss Connor Bedard undergoing shoulder surgery that will sideline him for approximately four months, what it means for the Blackhawks to begin the 2026-27 season without him, and whether a Patrick Kane reunion could be a realistic option to help boost the offense. Later, three-time Stanley Cup champion and CHSN Blackhawks analyst Alec Martinez joins the show to break down the Blackhawks' acquisition of Bowen Byram, the Leo Carlsson offer sheet, and much more.

On this episode of the Blackhawks Breakaway Podcast, Pat Boyle and Charlie Roumeliotis break down Bowen Byram's six-year contract extension with the Blackhawks, including the $12.5 million cap hit that briefly makes him the NHL's highest-paid defenseman for the 2027-28 season. They discuss why Chicago made such a significant investment in Byram before recapping the team's free agency moves, highlighted by the additions of veteran forward Cole Smith and defenseman Ian Cole. They also dive into the Blackhawks' 2026 NHL Draft class, with a closer look at Xavier Villeneuve and Ryan Roobroeck, discuss the organization's growing pipeline of power forwards led by Sacha Boisvert and AJ Spellacy, and wrap up with takeaways from development camp.

On this episode of the Blackhawks Breakaway Podcast, Pat Boyle and Charlie Roumeliotis are joined by NHL insider Frank Seravalli to break down the blockbuster trade that brought Bowen Byram to Chicago in a package that included the No. 4 overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. Frank discusses the motivation behind the deal from the Blackhawks' perspective, what makes Byram such an appealing addition, what a potential contract extension could look like, and more. Pat and Charlie then share their full reaction to the trade, discussing why GM Kyle Davidson was willing to swing big, Byram's desire to establish himself as a true No. 1 defenseman, what he brings to the lineup, potential defensive pairings, and much more. The conversation shifts to the latest on Connor Bedard's contract negotiations and some of the NHL's biggest storylines, including Brady Tkachuk's move to Florida, the growing trend of player empowerment around the league, and whether it's ultimately good for the game. To close out the show, Pat and Charlie examine what Bedard's potential linemates could look like heading into the season following the addition of Byram.

On this episode of the Blackhawks Breakaway Podcast, Pat Boyle and Charlie Roumeliotis are joined by The Athletic's NHL Draft expert Corey Pronman to preview the 2026 NHL Draft and break down the Blackhawks' options with the No. 4 overall pick. Pronman explains why several players occupied his No. 1 spot throughout the season and why he ultimately ranked defenseman Chase Reid barely ahead of consensus top prospect Gavin McKenna in his final rankings. He also discusses the five players he has in his Tier 1 rankings. If the top three forwards are off the board, should the Blackhawks feel comfortable selecting Reid despite already having two high-end right-shot defense prospects in Artyom Levshunov and Sam Rinzel? Could Reid ultimately be the best of the trio? And is McKenna truly a lock to go No. 1 overall or could there be a surprise at the top of the draft? The conversation also turns to Ivar Stenberg, who has been mocked to the Blackhawks by many analysts. How realistic is that scenario, and how does Pronman expect the top of the draft to unfold? He also shares his NHL comparable for Stenberg. Plus, if San Jose selects a defenseman at No. 2 and Vancouver is deciding between Stenberg and Caleb Malhotra at No. 3, would the Canucks really choose Malhotra, as some reports suggest? Pronman explains what fueled Malhotra's rise into the top-five conversation. Finally, Pronman weighs in on the dramatic transformation of the Blackhawks' prospect pipeline, from one of the NHL's weakest just four years ago to arguably its deepest since GM Kyle Davidson launched the rebuild in 2022. Pat and Charlie close out the episode by reacting to Pronman's insights before discussing the fallout from NHL insider Frank Seravalli's report on Connor Bedard's contract negotiations from last week's episode and explaining why Blackhawks fans shouldn't be concerned.