After the University of Michigan was eliminated from the NCAA Frozen Four Tournament on Thursday night, it was only a matter of time before we found out if top forward prospect Frank Nasar would return to college next year or sign with the Chicago Blackhawks.
Well, the time has come. The Blackhawks announced Saturday afternoon that they have officially signed Nasar to a three-year entry-level contract with an annual salary cap of $950,000.
Much like Landon Slaggert, Nazar is currently in the first year of his contract with ELC, which is on fire even when he's not playing, with his contract expiring at the end of the 2025-26 season.according to Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-TimesNazar is expected to join the Blackhawks for the final three games of the season.
Nazar, 20, was selected by the Blackhawks with the 13th overall pick in the 2022 draft and was one of three first-round picks by the Blackhawks that year. Prior to the draft, he participated in the United States National Team Development Program for two seasons, during which time he became a leading offensive player. During that time, Nazar scored 71 points (35G, 36A) in 55 games in the USHL and 128 points (58G, 70A) in 103 games with the U17 and U18 U.S. National Teams. He also had an impressive performance at the 2021-22 U18 World Junior Tournament, scoring three goals and providing six assists in six games.
After being drafted, the Detroit native had a tough start at Michigan, sidelined with a hip injury that ultimately required surgery. He missed most of his freshman season, but made his NCAA debut in mid-February and managed to play in the final 13 games of the season, posting modest numbers of two goals and five assists during that time. But in his second season, Nazar scored 41 points in 41 games (17 goals, 23 goals) while playing primarily as a top-line center for the Wolverines, which is why he was arguably a top-10 pick in the draft. accurately shown. . He also recorded his two goals in his three games in the Big Ten Tournament, and in the NCAA Frozen Four Tournament he recorded one goal and an assist.
Also last season, Nazar won a gold medal as part of Team USA at the 2023-24 World Junior Tournament, recording eight assists in nine games and being one of the most impactful players in the entire tournament. .
While it may seem wasteful to some to waste a full year of ELC with only three games left for the Blackhawks, such an act could help the team when it comes to negotiating a player's second contract. There is an argument that there is. Not only will players not be eligible for arbitration, but they will have a smaller sample of gameplay on which to base their contracts. It also motivated Nazar to forgo the remainder of his college career at the University of Michigan and begin his professional career in Chicago.
Next up, 2022 second-round pick Ryan Green will likely soon make a similar decision about whether to return to Boston College for his junior season or sign with the Blackhawks.
