It doesn’t come as a surprise that the Chicago Blackhawks are struggling to find a player to serve as the second line center. There have already been a cast of forwards tried in that spot and it is something the team will eventually have to address.
This position doesn’t have to be filled by an external source as the Blackhawks have a perfectly good second line center in the making in their AHL…Frank Nazar.
Chicago got a short look at Nazar at the end of last season after he finished up with university, a place where he played very well. He was only able to appear in the final three games, but the 20-year-old scored a flashy goal.
Nazar wasn’t able to make the Blackhawks because of all of the talent that was brought in during the off-season, but it might have been a blessing in disguise as he has been able to play top minutes, really get comfortable playing professional hockey, and shine before making the full-time jump. While the NHL was the first pro league he played in, some players need longer than others to be a regular.
Nazar, playing top minutes for the Rockford IceHogs, already has five goals and 13 points in 11 games. He is tied for the team lead in goals with Cole Guttman and has the sole lead in points as second place, Colton Dach, has nine.
The Blackhawks got a good look at Nazar in training camp as he was one of the last cuts. Head coach Luke Richardson stressed that the young players who could be sent to the AHL or CHL without going through waivers would have to really prove that they deserve a spot on the opening night roster over a veteran. A few, like Nazar, played well, but it didn’t warrant an NHL spot just yet. With how the start to the season has gone, a shakeup is coming.
Related: Frank Nazar Has Looked ‘Really Good’ Through Rookie Camp
The Blackhawks haven’t played poorly most nights, but aren’t finding ways to win. Chicago has already seen Andreas Athanasiou pass through waivers, so with an extra spot on the NHL roster, someone should be recalled soon.
While the obvious choice to be called up to the Blackhawks is Nazar, I would argue that he needs to be inserted into that second line center role and into the lineup every night if he is. He could still do what he does from the third line, but the Blackhawks cannot bring a talent like that up and place him on the fourth line.
There wouldn’t be a lack of competition for playing time either. If Nazar gets called up and inserted into the lineup, someone has to move down and someone has to be taken out.
If it comes, the best case scenario for Nazar to get called up and placed in the top-6 would be if someone gets injured. This isn’t something to hope for, but it is likely that at one point someone is going to at least miss a handful of games and there will be a spot freed up. If Nazar continues this play, he will have forced the Blackhawks’ hand and we’ll see him sooner than later in the NHL in a full time role.
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