Bedard Signs $75 Million Deal as Chicago Eyes Bids for Major Championships

Bedard Cashes In

Connor Bedard has agreed to a five-year, $75 million contract with the Chicago Blackhawks, according to NBC Chicago. The deal locks up the center as the centerpiece of the franchise's rebuild, completing a major offseason goal for the team.

For a team that's finished at or near the bottom of the standings since trading away its championship core, signing Bedard long-term was priority one this offseason. The Blackhawks get cost certainty on their best asset, and Bedard gets paid like the franchise player he's become.

Cubs Add Bullpen Arm

The Chicago Cubs made a smaller move on Saturday, acquiring right-hander Aaron Civale and cash considerations from the Athletics in exchange for minor league pitcher Aiden Moffett, according to NBC Chicago. It's a depth addition that signals the Cubs are still tinkering with pitching options as they push through the summer schedule.

Kristin Cavallari also threw out first pitches at two Cubs games this week to promote a necklace collaboration with outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong, a reminder that Wrigley Field remains as much a marketing stage as a ballpark.

Chicago Wants the Big Events

Beyond individual contracts and trades, NBC Chicago reports the city is positioning itself to host major championships going forward. The report frames this as an ambition for what's next for Chicago sports.

Kylian Mbappé's performance at the ongoing World Cup this weekend underscores how much attention the sport draws globally, even for games not played in Illinois.

NBC Chicago's report doesn't specify a governing body, a bid deadline, or a dollar figure tied to any prospective public investment. Until city officials or a sports commission puts a concrete proposal on the table, positioning to host major championships remains an aspiration rather than a plan.

The Rest of the Weekend in Chicago

None of this happened in a vacuum. NBC Chicago's roundup also covered a suburban police officer arrested and charged with official misconduct for allegedly sharing confidential information with a criminal suspect, a stabbing in the Gold Coast neighborhood, a shooting that wounded four women at a party in Rockford, and a man wounded when a gun discharged during a struggle with police at a large gathering in Fuller Park early Saturday.

Air quality remains a separate concern. A second wave of Canadian wildfire smoke moved into the Chicago area Saturday and is likely to linger through Monday evening, according to NBC Chicago, with an air quality alert in effect through the weekend. Potentially severe storms could hit the region as that smoke lingers, adding a second weather threat on top of the smoke.

What is concrete: Bedard is signed through the life of his new deal, the Cubs have a new arm in the bullpen, and Chicago residents are stuck breathing smoky air into Monday while bracing for storms on top of it.