More of the Blackhawks’ future is coming.
Forward prospect Frank Nazar will forgo the rest of his college eligibility and sign a three-year entry-level contract with the Blackhawks for this season, the team announced Saturday.
Everybody say hi Frank 👋 pic.twitter.com/cIJ8hn7mNx
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) April 13, 2024
Whether Nazar would sign after the season was unknown. Michigan reached the Frozen Four semifinals and potentially could return several top players, including Nazar, next season. The Blackhawks were hopeful Nazar would turn pro, but they would support whatever decision he made.
Blackhawks coach Luke Richardson said Friday that he watched Nazar during the semifinals.
“Nazar’s impressive to me,” Richardson said. “He gets around the ice and really seems to read the play well. I watched a little bit of the game before as well with him. So, it’s exciting that we might have a chance to have a look at him. Not sure yet. I’m sure it’s disappointing for him not to be in the final but I think he had a really great year. So that’s looking good for us.”
Nazar, the 13th overall draft pick in 2022, produced 17 goals and 24 assists in 41 games as a sophomore at Michigan this season. He was one of 15 under-20 players to average a point a game in college hockey this season.
Nazar was a top-six center for Michigan and played in all situations. He also helped Team USA win gold at the World Junior Championship this season.
Nazar signifies another potential major piece to the Blackhawks’ rebuild. Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson traded Kirby Dach, the No. 3 overall pick in 2019, to the Montreal Canadiens for the 13th and 66th overall picks in 2022 draft. Nazar was the first forward Davidson selected as a GM after taking defenseman Kevin Korchinski with the seventh pick in the 2022 draft.
Nazar is protected to be a top-six center or wing for the Blackhawks in the coming years. He has played mostly center throughout his career, but the Blackhawks have drafted several centers in the last few years and some will likely have to play wing. Nazar is more of a puck-possession player and uses his speed to create offense and may be better fitted at center.
Nazar’s college career got off to a rough start as it was discovered he needed hip surgery before his freshman season at Michigan. He returned late in the season and was fully healthy as a sophomore this year. He especially took his game to another level at the World Junior Championship in December and into the final half of his college season.
“I feel really good since coming back, just more confident, just knowing I can make plays,” Nazar told The Athletic in February. “I think it was really good to get that experience at world juniors. Just to know against guys my own age, I can make plays and do my thing and just bringing that back to college hockey is big. Just going against guys basically my same age and I’m just as strong as other guys I’m going against, so that was just really helpful.”
Nazar becomes the seventh Davidson draft pick to sign with the organization, joining Korchinski, Connor Bedard, Gavin Hayes, Paul Ludwinski, Samuel Savoie and Nick Lardis.
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Christine Lake is a sports fanatic who lives and breathes athletics. With an extensive background in sports journalism, he covers everything from major league championships to grassroots sports events. When she’s not on the field or at the stadium, you’ll find Christine coaching youth sports teams.
