Blackhawks extend Frank Nazar for seven years

The Chicago Blackhawks surprised the fan base on Thursday by announcing they had extended forward Frank Nazar to a seven-year contract extension worth $6.59 million per season beginning in the 2026-27 season.

The 5-foot-10, 190-pound forward out of Detroit, Michigan, has put up 27 points (13 goals, 14 assists) in 56 career NHL games with the Blackhawks. He was selected by the Blackhawks in the first round (13th overall) of the 2022 NHL Draft and made his NHL debut on April 14, 2024. The pick used to select Nazar was acquired on July 7, 2022, from the Montreal Canadiens (via the New York Islanders) wit h a third-round pick (66th overall, Gavin Hayes) for Kirby Dach.

During his college career, Nazar registered 48 points (19 goals, 29 assists) in 54 games over two seasons with the University of Michigan, which included a Big Ten championship and back-to-back NCAA Frozen Four appearances. He missed a majority of the 2022-23 season with a lower-body injury sustained in the offseason, requiring surgery.

Following the 2024-25 season, Nazar won the gold medal with Team USA — the country’s first time winning the tournament in 92 years — at the 2025 IIHF World Championship, while posting 12 points (six goals, six assists) in 10 games.

Some of Nazar’s additional 2024-25 accomplishments include:

• Leading all Chicago rookies in goals, assists, and total points
• The only rookie in the NHL to convert a penalty shot last season
• Played 21 games with the Rockford IceHogs, scoring 24 points (11 goals, 13 assists)
• Earned a spot in the AHL All-Star Game

Analysis

Understandably, fans may feel that the contract seems a bit pricey for a player who had played less than a full season in the NHL, but the way his development has been progressing would suggest that he could become one of the league’s best bargains within a couple of seasons.

Blackhawks General Manager Kyle Davidson is clearly on a mission to lock in the potential future stars of the franchise to relatively affordable long-term deals while the salary cap is lower to have as much payroll certainty as possible when the cap makes its significant jumps over the next two seasons. This certainty will open up salary to sign free agents or make trades to fill holes in the lineup and put some additional talent around the homegrown players.

This season, the cap is set at $95.5 million this season. It will increase to $104 million for the 2026-27 season and $113.5 million for the 2027-28 season.