Blackhawks' Kane, uncertain about his future, calls Bedard a 'difference-maker'

Patrick Kane, who says it's "hard not to think about" his future with the Chicago Blackhawks, had a thing or two to say about future superstar Connor Bedard.

Kane, who was placed on injured reserve Thursday with a lower-body injury, shared informal workouts with Bedard at BioSteel camp in the summer, and came away impressed.

"I would say he was one of the guys that really stuck out," Kane told NBC Sports Chicago's Pat Boyle on Tuesday. "You never really know with those young kids how they're going to do, especially coming in with a bunch of NHL players that have had success, a bunch of guys that have experience, have been in the league a long time. He seemed to me like he was very confident. I think there was one play in camp, he had a 2-on-0 with (Connor) McDavid and he looked off McDavid and took a shot. We're all kind of laughing on the bench.

"I think the thing with him is he moves so well laterally. Everyone talks about a shot and his ability to shoot from different angles and off a different foot each time, but oh, man, the way he moves laterally is what gives him that space to be able to do that. So, pretty impressive. And I think everyone's kind of wondering how is he going to do it the next level, how is he going to be? From what I saw, it's all right there. He's going to be special."

Kane is confident Bedard is going to make a rebuilding NHL team immediately better.

"You would think so, right?" he said. "I mean, that's kind of the hope of a top pick, and it's not like he's going to be like a first-overall pick that's gonna have to wait a year or two, right? He's going to come right in and be a difference-maker right away."

The primary topic on everyone's mind when it comes to Kane, however, is on his future with the only NHL team he's played for. Kane's eight-year, $84-million contract he signed on July 9, 2014, is up at the end of this season, making him an unrestricted free agent and, thus, one of the most highly coveted rentals heading toward the March 3 trade deadline.

"It's a different year, obviously, going into the last year of your contract and different variables about what's going to happen or where you're going to be the rest of your career, different things like that," Kane told Boyle. "You think about that stuff, especially when it gets into January here and got a couple months to the trade deadline. We'll see how it all shakes out."

Talks are ongoing between the Blackhawks and Kane's agent, Pat Brisson, as to what's next.

"Just to kind of hear ... where each side is at," Kane said, characterizing the discussions. "I think whether it's about my play now or just about the team, about things that I see with the team that could maybe help, and obviously about maybe what's coming up. I don't think we've got to that point yet, but I'm sure we both know it's right around the corner here."

Kane said he's also keeping an eye on where his captain and long-time teammate, Jonathan Toews, goes. Toews has the exact same deal as Kane and is, therefore, a coveted UFA as well.

"I think both of us will probably want to hear what the other one is doing and play off that a little bit and kind of see what that is when the time gets closer," Kane said. "But I don't think it will be like a determining factor or what one or the other does.

"We're very fortunate and blessed to play with one team for 15, 16 years, whatever it's been. Not many guys do that. I know that it's a different situation here in Chicago and they kind of want to build up their prospect pool, and they've used that term 'rebuild.' We'll kind of see where we fit into that or if not, so I'm sure that's what those discussions are all about."

Either way, Kane said the talk of his future isn't very far from his mind.

"It depends. I think every day's different," Kane said. "If it's a game day and you're getting ready for a game and you're on the ice playing, I think it's easy to stay in the moment. If it's a couple days off in between games and you see some different things here or there or someone sends you something, it's like right in front of you, it's hard not to think about it."