Connor Bedard makes a surprise return for the Chicago Blackhawks after missing nearly 6 weeks with a broken jaw

Connor Bedard is back — and ahead of schedule.

The Chicago Blackhawks rookie was on the ice Thursday night against the Pittsburgh Penguins at the United Center, returning to action for the first time since suffering a broken jaw Jan. 5 against the New Jersey Devils.

Bedard, who had surgery Jan. 8, originally was projected to require six to eight weeks for his recovery.

At the earliest, that timeline would have put him in line to play Monday against the Carolina Hurricanes, but his return came four days earlier.

Bedard picked up an assist in 21 minutes, 17 seconds of ice time in the Hawks’ 4-1 loss.

Coach Luke Richardson told reporters before Thursday’s game that Bedard met with the team doctor Wednesday morning and again in the afternoon. Then on Thursday morning, the Hawks decided to test Bedard’s readiness in “a little bit of battle,” Richardson said.

“So we put him through some paces with some of the guys and myself this morning, and we just asked him (afterward) and he said, ‘Yep, I feel good, I feel comfortable.’ He didn’t feel like he was shying away from anything. He got to the front of the net in battle drills and he looked fine.

“He looked like himself so he’s eager to go.”

Richardson, a former defenseman, wanted to get some confirmation for himself.

“I bumped him a couple times. And he spun once off of me,” he said with a smile.

Richardson said he met with general manager Kyle Davidson and associate general manager Norm Maciver after practice Thursday, then all three met with Bedard and asked him if he needed a full practice.

“And it was, ‘no.’ We said, ‘Well, you have to go through a morning skate with some contact drills and some battle drills,’ and he was fully, ‘I’m ready for that.’ And (he was) happy to come to the rink and do that this morning.”

Photos: Connor Bedard returns to the ice

According to a team official, game-day ticket sales shot up 40%.

Richardson said he had no apprehension about exposing Bedard to injury too soon.

“No, not at all,” he said. “He knows, he’s played in the games half the year at the NHL level. He knows what it is out there so he’s ready to face that tonight and we’re happy to have him back.

“We’re excited, but, I mean, he’s a guy. We can’t think that we can just stop playing and he’s going to score all the goals. We have to continue to play.”

Bedard will play on a line with Nick Foligno and Philipp Kurashev and also on the power play. If Bedard looks at all tentative at times, coach will “just give him reminders.”

“He totally understands the game grows faster this time of the year and teams ramp things up,” Richardson said. “Even the physicality that led to him getting hurt, he has to be aware of that, and he is.

“He doesn’t seem one bit set back from it at all, he’s ready to go and we felt that. We can see it in him so we’re ready to see him shine out there tonight.”

When United Center fans first cast their eyes on Bedard, for some it will be the first time seeing him wearing the protective cage over his face.

“He said there’s no effect of him seeing the puck,” Richardson said. “He’s used to it and he’s been wearing ever since he’s been back skating.”

He added that doctors will determine how long Bedard will wear the face shield.

“It’ll be probably be a few weeks, a month or maybe a couple months,” Richardson said.

Bedard had been practicing for weeks wearing a face shield and wearing noncontact jerseys. Players typically participate in at least a couple of practices with full contact before returning to a game, but Bedard hasn’t done so.

In fact, he wore a green noncontact jersey as recently as Wednesday’s practice, and the Hawks didn’t hold a morning skate today.

Reporters haven’t been allowed to talk with Bedard while has been on injured reserve, which is typical protocol. When Bedard suffered the injury in January, it looked as if he was in for a long layoff.

Devils defenseman Brendan Smith caught Bedard unaware and slammed into Bedard with his upper body while Bedard’s head was slightly down as he was looking to get control of the puck.

Bedard held his jaw as he skated off the ice.

Later in that game, Hawks forward Foligno broke his own finger while fighting Smith on Bedard’s behalf. Foligno returned after missing seven games, but Bedard had been itching to get back into action as soon as he could skate again, according to teammates.

Richardson has said one more than one occasion that it had become a constant battle for trainers to rein him in, though he said Bedard had “calmed down” recently.

The Hawks have sorely missed Bedard, who missed 14 games. Despite his extended absence, he still leads the Hawks in points (33) and is second on the team in goals (15), one behind Jason Dickinson.

His 33 points still ties Minnesota Wild defenseman and fellow Calder Trophy contender Brock Faber for tops among rookies. Bedard’s 15 goals is still one better than the Wild’s Marco Rossi.

Bedard returns to face the same opponent against whom he started his career in the season opener: the Penguins and childhood idol Sidney Crosby.

It’s a fitting career restart for Bedard.

Richardson said that the matchup might’ve been a motivating factor for Bedard.

“I’m sure he was really excited at the beginning of the year, and I know he spent some time with him at the All-Star Game and the NHL event before the season,” he said. “When competitors like that play against each other, they ramp up. They really respect each other.

“But when the game’s on, that’s another extra element. If you can win that game, it’s a little bit of bragging rights maybe for the next event. That’d be fun to have another one in our corner.”