American Frank Nazar III keeps making snazzy plays and Slovak Adam Gajan keeps stopping shots in Göteborg, Sweden. See story with video.
Just one year removed from a gold medal with Team Canada, Blackhawks teen rookies Connor Bedard and Kevin Korchinski were watching World Junior Championship games on TV in Chicago's dressing room following their morning skate in Dallas on Friday.
That's nothing new for NHL players of all ages. Blackhawks coach Luke Richardson can recall then-teammate Daniel Alfredsson keeping a proud, close eye on Sweden's WJC squad back in 2007-09 when Richardson finished his playing career with the Ottawa Senators.
With Michigan, Frank Nazar III closes in against Big Ten rival Michigan State. On Friday at the WJC, he set up Spartan Isaac Howard for a goal.Now the Blackhawks and Richardson are keeping tabs on six prospects — four Americans and two Slovaks — at this year's WJC. Frank Nazar III, one of Chicago draftees on Team USA, added a sixth primary assist for the tournament in three games in the Americans' 4-3 shootout win over Czechia on Friday.
The 19-year-old Nazar was one of Chicago's three first-round draft picks (13th overall) in 2022 along with Korchinski and defenseman Sam Rinzel, who's also skating for the U.S. at the WJC in Göteborg, Sweden.
Nazar, from the University of Michigan, set up Isaac Howard, from Michigan State, with a pinpoint pass to complete a 2-on-1 break just 1:12 into Friday's game.
Nazar got a late start as a collegiate last season because of hip surgery. The speedy 5-foot-10 center from Mt. Clemens, Michigan has eight goals and 10 assists in 18 games for the Wolverines this season. Depending on his progress, Nazar could turn pro at the end of the NCAA season.
"He's an exciting player," Richardson said. "I just watched a little bit of the game today before and after our skate.
"He'a another creative guy that's playing on the power play in the World Juniors, so it's exciting to think about what he will bring when it's his time to come here." See video.
Goaltending prospect Adam Gajan is 3-0-0, having allowed six goals in three games for Slovakia. He had 36 saves in a 3-0 shutout of Switzerland on Thursday before yielding four goals on 26 shots in an 8-4 romp over Norway on Friday. The 19-year-old Gajan's save percentage is .934.
Adam Gajan in nets for Slovakia.Drafted in the second round, 35th overall in 2023, the 6-foot-2 Gajan was solid for the Slovaks in last year's WJC. He's 14-4-2 with a 3.03 goals-against average this season for Green Bay of the USHL, the top USA Hockey sanctioned junior hockey league. That keeps Gajan's NCAA eligibility in tact, and he's committed to play for the University of Minnesota-Duluth next season.
That puts Gajan's pro arrival a few years down the road. If all goes to plan, that would be after current top Blackhawks goaltending prospect Drew Commesso progresses from Rockford of the AHL to competes for an NHL spot.