Bedard placed on injured reserve by Blackhawks with fractured jaw

“I think, once (the injury) settles a little bit he’ll be able to skate shortly. He just won’t be able to be in practice, but he’ll be able to be on the ice,” Richardson said of Bedard. “That’ll be good for him because it’ll get a lot of that restless energy that he’s going to have (out) … He likes to be with the team, likes to be on the ice. It’s a blow and he’s young. He’s going to need his teammates and his family more than ever to support him and comfort him.”

Chicago’s loss to New Jersey was the finale of a five-game road trip (0-4-1), during which it also lost forwards Taylor Raddysh (groin), Tyler Johnson (foot) and Anthony Beauvillier (wrist) to injury.

The Blackhawks (11-26-2), who are last in the Central Division, are 2-10-1 in their past 13 games.

“I think last year was difficult, we thought. Seems like nothing compared to this now,” Richardson said of the injury situation. “I mean, you can’t really pin it. It’s not one thing or little chronic things or things from over-fatigue or things that have kind of been overworked or anything. They’re big.

“’Rads’ is probably the one hockey injury that’s normal, the groin injury. Everything else is substantial and time. It’s not a week. It’s weeks and more. So that makes it more challenging and difficult.”

Forward Nick Foligno was also placed on injured reserve on Saturday with a fractured left finger. He did not play in the third period on Friday after he fought Smith at 5:04 of the second.

“I mean, Connor was just really upset last night,” forward Jason Dickinson said. “That’s pretty much all I talked to him about was just staying positive and being OK with where he’s at.

“Nick, also just extremely frustrated and rattled that it happened because he’s — I don’t know how many fights he’s been in this year, but of course, it’s this one that he goes and gets hurt. He’s tough, so I don’t think it’ll hold him out very long. As soon as he’s strong enough to hold a stick, I’m sure he’ll be out there with us.”

Chicago acquired forward Rem Pitlick in a trade with the Pittsburgh Penguins for a conditional seventh-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft on Saturday. The 26-year-old has 24 points (eight goals, 16 assists) in 32 games this season for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League. He also has 54 points (21 goals, 33 assists) in 123 NHL games with the Nashville Predators, Minnesota Wild and Montreal Canadiens. 

The Blackhawks also claimed forward Zach Sanford off waivers from the Arizona Coyotes. He has two assists in 11 games with the Coyotes this season, and 100 points (49 goals, 51 assists) in 316 regular-season games for the Coyotes, Nashville Predators, Winnipeg Jets, Ottawa Senators, St. Louis Blues and Washington Capitals.

Richardson said Pitlick is expected to arrive in Chicago on Saturday and should be in the lineup when the Blackhawks host the Calgary Flames on Sunday (3 p.m. ET; NBCSCH, SN, TVAS).

NHL.com staff writer Tracey Myers and independent correspondent Bruce Miles contributed to this report