Story Summary
Frank Nazar is preparing to take on Chicago Blackhawks‘ top-line centre role while Connor Bedard recovers from left-shoulder surgery.
Bedard, Chicago’s new captain and the No. 1 selection in the 2023 NHL Draft, is expected to miss at least the first month of the season after being injured in an off-season training session in Vancouver on July 2. He has been skating and taking shots but is not expected back until November.
That absence puts Nazar, 22, in line to centre Roman Kantserov and Patrick Kane for the season opener at the Vegas Golden Knights. The Blackhawks’ No. 13 pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, Nazar produced 15 goals and 26 assists in 66 games last season and is beginning the first year of his seven-year, $46.13 million contract.
Nazar believes Chicago’s young group can play with pace and energy as it attempts to end a six-year Stanley Cup Playoffs drought. He has also made clear that he is prepared to accept whatever responsibility is required, whether that means carrying a larger offensive role or adapting to a different assignment.
Key Facts
- Frank Nazar is pencilled in as Chicago’s No. 1 centre between Roman Kantserov and Patrick Kane for the season opener at the Vegas Golden Knights.
- Connor Bedard is expected to miss at least the first month following surgery on his left shoulder, sustained during an off-season training session in Vancouver on July 2.
- Bedard has been skating and taking shots, but is not expected to return until November.
- Nazar had 41 points, including 15 goals and 26 assists, in 66 games in 2025-26.
- The 22-year-old centre is entering the first season of the seven-year, $46.13 million deal carrying a $6.59 million average annual value that he signed with Chicago on August 21, 2025.
- Patrick Kane said Nazar’s speed through the middle, right-handed shot and skill remind him of Utah Mammoth forward Nick Schmaltz.
- Chicago coach Jeff Blashill said Nazar has looked stronger on the puck in battles and has controlled it better during training camp.
- The Blackhawks acquired defenceman Bowen Byram in a trade with the Buffalo Sabres on June 23.
IHM Discussion
The immediate challenge for Chicago is clear: Nazar must take a prominent place in the middle without Bedard, while a new line is asked to establish its habits quickly. Nazar’s production over 66 games last season offers a meaningful base, but his opportunity is defined as much by the two-way details identified by Blashill as by the points total.
Blashill’s comments focused on puck battles, puck control and avoiding unnecessary giveaways. Those are significant areas for a centre expected to play high in the line-up, particularly alongside Kane, whose ability to create plays demands sharp timing from linemates. Nazar described the value of learning where passes will arrive and anticipating the next play; Kane, meanwhile, stressed communication, repetition and experience in different game situations as the route to chemistry.
Nazar’s own description of an energetic, fast and “in-your-face” team sets an identity Chicago wants to bring to the opening stretch. It is not a guarantee of results, nor does it remove the difficulty of replacing Bedard’s role, but it gives Nazar a defined task: help the Blackhawks possess the puck more effectively and turn their youth into a competitive strength.
The wider roster has changed too. Byram has arrived on the blue line, while Kantserov and Anton Frondell are among the young forwards expected to contribute. Nazar’s assignment sits at the centre of that mix because he is being asked to help connect experienced skill in Kane with a younger group still seeking to take larger steps together.
Why It Matters
Bedard’s absence removes Chicago’s top centre and captain for the opening portion of the season, making Nazar’s role one of the most important early decisions for the Blackhawks.
For Nazar personally, it is an early test of the responsibility that comes with a long-term contract and a top-line opportunity. For Chicago, the opening month will provide meaningful evidence of how its younger players handle larger roles alongside Kane and within Blashill’s emphasis on stronger puck management.
The club is trying to end a six-year playoff drought. Nazar has not claimed that task will be easy, but he has expressed confidence that the group’s development, speed and collective energy can give it a chance.
Mini Q&A
Why is Frank Nazar expected to open as Chicago’s top-line centre?
Connor Bedard is expected to miss at least the first month after left-shoulder surgery, leaving Nazar pencilled in between Roman Kantserov and Patrick Kane.
What did Frank Nazar produce last season?
Nazar recorded 15 goals and 26 assists for 41 points in 66 games in 2025-26.
What does Jeff Blashill want to see from Nazar?
Blashill highlighted stronger puck battles, better puck control and fewer unnecessary giveaways as key parts of Nazar’s progress.
Coach Mark Comment
A top-line opportunity is not only about creating offence. Blashill’s emphasis on Nazar winning more puck battles and cutting out hopeful plays points to the standard Chicago needs from its centre: secure possession first, then allow the skill around him to operate. If Nazar can consistently protect the puck through the middle and make clean decisions under pressure, the Kane-Kantserov combination has a clearer platform to build chemistry.
What Comes Next
Chicago opens its season at the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday, with Nazar pencilled in between Kantserov and Kane. Bedard remains expected to be out until November as he continues his recovery from shoulder surgery.
IHM Final View
Frank Nazar’s opening assignment is substantial, but the Blackhawks have given it a clear shape. He is expected to centre a line with Kane and Kantserov, bring more control to the puck, and help a young team begin the season without Bedard. Chicago’s broader push to move beyond its playoff drought will require contributions across the roster, but Nazar is positioned to be one of the central figures from the first game.