This isn’t news that Chicago Blackhawks fans will want to hear.
According to Scott Powers of The Athletic, 2022 first-round pick and top prospect Frank Nazar has suffered an injury that could sideline him for months.
Here’s what Powers said in the most recent episode of the “Laz & Powers” podcast:
I’ve heard that he’s actually going to miss potentially a couple of months with an injury, so it’s not the start [the Blackhawks] want to his career. It doesn’t sound like it’s a season-ending injury but it’s something that delayed him a little bit.
The injury news is briefly discussed around the 39:15 mark of the episode, with the full version of it available here:
New LAZ & POWERS:
-Breaking down the roster.
-Is not finishing dead last a failure?
-Prospects to keep an eye on.
-Your questions.
-More!Apple: https://t.co/wYHWM9rRnF
Spotify: https://t.co/JyTe7w0tbJ— Mark Lazerus (@MarkLazerus) October 11, 2022
Nazar was expected to play top-line center for the University of Michigan this season, but he hasn’t played in a game yet. Michigan swept a pair of games against Lindenwood last weekend and welcomes ninth-ranked Boston — with fellow Blackhawks prospect Drew Commesso in net — to Ann Arbor this weekend for games on Friday and Sunday.
Nazar did not play in those Lindenwood games or in the preseason exhibition against Windsor on Saturday, Oct. 1. The exact injury or recovery timeline isn’t known at this time, but it’s not an auspicious start to the development of what the Blackhawks hope will be a future core player. Still, Nazar is young and otherwise healthy, so hopefully he bounces back quickly from whatever ails him.
We’ll update this post with any more details should they became available.
For more information about what the Blackhawks are getting in Nazar, check out the deep dive from July.