The Chicago Blackhawks signed forward Frank Nazar to a seven-year contract extension on Thursday with a cap hit of $6.59 million per season. The contract doesn\u2019t kick in until the 2026-27 season, as Nazar still has a year left on his entry-level deal. The hope \u2014 the expectation, really \u2014 is that he and Connor Bedard can be the Blackhawks\u2019 1-2 punch down the middle for the next decade or more.<\/p>\n
For much of last season, Nazar was tantalizing but frustrating for the Blackhawks, all speed and slickness and scoring chances with little production to show for it. Then, the calendar turned to April, and the puck started going in. Nazar had five goals and four assists in eight games in April. He then went on to star for Team USA at the World Championships with team highs of six goals and six assists in 10 games as the Americans won the tournament for the first time since 1933<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cFrank elevated his game last season and has proven himself to be one of the top young talents in the league,\u201d Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson said in a release. \u201cHe drives play using his elite speed and playmaking abilities, creating problems for opponents and opportunities for teammates every night. Frank is an integral piece of our team, and we\u2019re thrilled to have him with us for the next eight seasons.\u201d<\/p>\n Nazar was the No. 13 pick in the 2022 draft, with Davidson trading Kirby Dach to Montreal for the right to select Nazar. After a point-a-game sophomore season at the University of Michigan, Nazar joined the Blackhawks for three games at the end of the 2023-24 season, scoring one goal. He started last season with the AHL\u2019s Rockford IceHogs but was called up in mid-December, shortly after head coach Luke Richardson was fired. Nazar started slowly, but thanks in large part to his dynamic finishing kick, he finished the season with 12 goals and 14 assists in 53 games.<\/p>\n \u201cI want to play in Chicago for the rest of my life,\u201d Nazar told The Athletic in June. \u201cI think it\u2019s a great city and a great team and a greater organization. So, if that\u2019s an option and that\u2019s something to set up, then I\u2019m always willing to look into it and look at things. But I\u2019ve been super grateful and happy with my time in Chicago so far, and I\u2019d love to keep it going.\u201d<\/p>\n By signing Nazar to a long-term deal now, the Blackhawks lock him in at a reasonable rate that could potentially be a massive bargain if Nazar keeps producing like he did in the spring, especially as the salary cap skyrockets in the coming years. Meanwhile, Nazar secures life-changing money without feeling the weight of a looming contract in what will be his first full NHL season.<\/p>\n For comparison\u2019s sake, Colorado signed Nathan MacKinnon \u2014 to whom nobody is comparing Nazar to just yet \u2014 to a seven-year contract with a $6.3 million cap hit out of his entry-level deal, which proved to be one of the all-time, team-friendly deals as MacKinnon\u2019s star rose. MacKinnon surely left a ton of money on the table in the long run, but at the time of the signing, he had yet to prove he was a superstar player. MacKinnon now carries a $12.6 million cap hit.<\/p>\n gutsy move by the Blackhawks to extend Nazar long-term this early into his career\u2026 but he already is showing signs of being able to play up to that $6million range and that should only trend up as he develops pic.twitter.com\/cMJeuefVTl<\/a><\/p>\n\n