Chicago Blackhawks forward Connor Bedard was badly hit during Friday's game against the Devils in New Jersey.
Entering the offensive zone, the very first pick in the last draft suffered a hard check from Brendan Smith. He then retreated to the locker room in pain while an altercation broke out on the ice.
Watch the sequence in question in the video above.
Smith then responded by fighting Nick Foligno.
Bedard was not on the bench at the start of the second period. The “Hawks” then announced that the young prodigy would no longer be used in this duel.
Medical Update: Connor Bedard will not return to the game tonight.
—Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) January 6, 2024
“I obviously think he hit his head, but I'm not sure,” said Blackhawks head coach Luke Richardson, whose comments were reported by NHL.com.
“I just came back to the dressing room and all I heard was that everyone is going home tonight, everyone is fit to come home. We’ll take a look at it as soon as we get back.”
“[Les soigneurs] “They didn't say he suffered a concussion, but we'll wait until we get home before putting him through any necessary tests.”
The 18-year-old hockey player has hit the target 15 times and provided 18 assists for 33 points in 38 games so far in 2023-2024.
On Thursday, Bedard was selected to represent the Blackhawks in the All-Star Game.