Former Michigan Wolverines football coach Jim Harbaugh has a question that was a family chant and became a rallying cry for the National Champion Wolverines. The query asks “Who’s got it better than us?” The correct answer is always “nobody,” but on Sunday “Frank Nazar” could apply, too.
Just days from competing in the Frozen Four , Nazar slotted into the Blackhawks lineup and narrowly missed a goal on the power play. Sprung by Seth Jones on a breakaway, he didn’t miss that one. Nazar potted his first career NHL goal in his first professional game on his first shot, something that dreams are made of.
Easily Chicago’s top prospect now that Connor Bedard, Kevin Korchinski, and Lukas Reichel are graduated, Nazar might also be graduating pretty quickly from that category, too.
A Dream Season for Frank Nazar Continues Onto United Center Ice
In a calendar season’s worth of games, Nazar has won gold in the World Junior Championships with the United States, captured a Big Ten Tournament Championship, and participated in the Frozen Four. Add to it his first NHL game, and it sure seems surreal.
The goal is just the cherry on top. But Nazar was taken by the Blackhawks because of his high hockey IQ, speed, and ability to create as well as score goals. All of that was on display in the shift leading up to the goal, punctuated by tallying the marker.
With a growing young core, Nazar has already shown what he’s capable of doing. It’s precisely in line with what he showed at Michigan and on the world stage back in January.
It showed up in Chicago in his first game–and there’s a likelihood it will continue next October in the season opener and beyond.
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