Blackhawks Prospect Dazzles In AHL Debut

Rejection is awful.

But how you respond to and move past it can make all the difference. At first blush, Frank Nazar seems to be handling his rejection in this way.

The Chicago Blackhawks forward prospect was sent down to their AHL team, the Rockford IceHogs. He wasted little time making an impact.

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At 19:09 of the first period yesterday, he scored the game-tying goal against the Iowa Wild.

🚨WE COULD GET USED TO THIS!🚨

Frank Nazar (CHI) ties things up for the @goicehogs against the @IAWild in this morning’s #AHL preseason matchup!

Tune in now!
📺: https://t.co/vpTItgHfFO pic.twitter.com/JfqwSDCTpU

— FloHockey (@FloHockey) October 2, 2024

Nazar showed off his quick hands by tapping this spectacular pass into the net. It’s ridiculous how easy he made this look.

That only speaks to the level of skill and potential a prospect like Nazar has.

Blackhawks Prospect Dazzles In AHL Debut — Frank Nazar.

USA Today Network, Jamie Sabau

Frank Nazar.<p><button class= — Frank Nazar.

USA Today Network, Jamie Sabau

He would later add an assist in the third period. Nazar finished with two points on the night and was named the first star of the hockey game.

Last year, Nazar played in the NCAA for the University of Michigan. He scored 41 points in 41 games, a massive jump from his seven points in 13 games the previous year.

Afterward, he got a cup of coffee in the NHL.

In three games, he scored a single goal while averaging 16:09. That time on ice for a rookie is a massive vote of confidence from the coaching staff. Not everyone cutting their teeth in the league is granted that kind of deployment.

The IceHogs are in pre-season action again today against the Wild. The puck will drop around 7 PM Central Time.

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