That didn’t take long. Frank Nazar of the Chicago Blackhawks scored his first career NHL goal just a little over 10 minutes into the first period against the Carolina Hurricanes.
On Saturday (April 13), the Blackhawks announced that they had agreed to terms with Nazar on a three-year, entry-level contract that ran through the 2025-26 season. He was the Blackhawks’ 13th overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft.
The 20-year-old just finished his college career at the University of Michigan, which reached the NCAA Frozen Four before losing in the semifinals. Nazar skated in 41 games with the Wolverines during the 2023-24 campaign, posting collegiate career highs in games played (41), goals (17), assists (24) and points (41). He shared second on the team with three game-winning goals. His 17 goals ranked fourth among all Michigan skaters, while his 24 assists ranked fifth on the club.
The 5-foot-10, 181-pound forward captured a gold medal with Team USA at the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship, recording eight assists in seven games. His eight helpers ranked third among all tournament skaters and second on the team. Prior to his collegiate career, Nazar skated in 103 games with the U.S. National Team Development Program from 2020-22.
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