The Chicago Blackhawks have a future star in Frank Nazar, but it is going to take some time for him to be elite.
On Wednesday night, the Chicago Blackhawks defeated the New York Rangers 3-0. They got goal-scoring contributions from multiple sources, defended well, and saw Spencer Knight make 21 saves for his second shutout of the season.
Frank Nazar, who hasn’t scored a goal in 18 games now, was not one of the players on the scoresheet. He had a couple of scoring chances, a play where he lost the handle on a great opportunity, and multiple other spots where he was noticeable, but came away empty again.
Things can get heavy when a player is young and trying to make their way in the best league in the world. They get even heavier when they get paid before truly proving themselves. That is the case for Frank Nazar. He was brilliant at the end of last season and the start of this one, but has hit a bit of a sophomore slump in terms of production.
After the game, when asked about Nazar’s play, head coach Jeff Blashill came to the defense of his young second-line center.
“Frank Nazar was as good as he’s played all season,” Blashill said. “I thought he was excellent tonight. I look at process. I look at things like being over the puck, being strong on the puck, and having those opportunities to make plays, and using his speed. He’ll get his points if he plays like that on a consistent basis.”
Spectators may only remember the fumbled puck with time and space in front of the goalie, but the coach saw something different in Nazar. He is adamant that the process is good and the points will return soon.
So far this season, Nazar has 5 goals and 15 assists for 20 points in 28 games played. That is great production for a player with less than 100 NHL games played, but expectations change narratives.
Nazar isn’t just a scorer either. He impacts the game in all three zones thanks to his speed. He is also an A+ penalty killer in addition to his work on the power play, which makes him incredibly valuable. As Blashill said, if the process is good, scoring will come. If he plays as he did against the Rangers going forward, according to his head coach, the breakout will happen soon.
On Friday, Nazar and the Blackhawks will visit the St. Louis Blues again. He has had success against this rival, so it’s a chance to gain his offensive confidence back in a big way.
Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.