It has been an eventful week for Chicago Blackhawks center Frank Nazar of Detroit, Michigan. Nazar was a surprise selection to the United States Olympic Orientation Camp this week, especially when Detroit Red Wings sniper Alex DeBrincat of Farmington Hills, Michigan was not chosen. Then, the Blackhawks signed Nazar to a seven year contract extension worth a whopping $46.13 million on Thursday. According to Josh Erickson of NHL Trade Rumors, Nazar will be making a eye boggling $9.1 million in the 2026-27 season.
First Round Pick
Nazar was the Blackhawks first round pick in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft. He was the second American chosen in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft. The first was center Logan Cooley of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, who was picked third overall by the Arizona Coyotes at the time. Since then the players who were with the Coyotes are now with the Utah Mammoth.
Is Nazar worth $9.1 million?
The answer is no, and he is not even remotely worth it. In fact, you could make the argument that Nazar’s latest contract is one of the worst in the National Hockey League and will make the other 31 general managers in the NHL completely cringe. The bottom line is Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse, who is set to make $9.25 million over the next six seasons, has company.
Frank Nazar’s statistics in 2024-25
Nazar had 12 goals and 14 assists for 26 points in 53 games. He was -11 with 24 penalty minutes, four power-play points, two shorthanded points, two game-winning goals, 91 shots on goal, 170 faceoff wins, 35 blocked shots, 30 hits, eight takweaways, and 57 giveaways.
Nazar’s two game-winning goals
Nazar’s first game-winning goal came in a 3-1 Blackhawks win over the Colorado Avalanche on January 8. Nazar put the Blackhawks up 2-1 at 10:17 of the second period. Colton Dach of St. Albert, Alberta and Teuvo Teravainen of Helsinki, Finland had the assists. Nazar’s second game-winning goal came was the last Blackhawks goal of the 2024-25 NHL regular season. Nazar scored from former first overall pick Connor Bedard of Vancouver, British Columbia at the 48 second mark in overtime in a 4-3 Blackhawks win over the Ottawa Senators on April 15.
Not as good as DeBrincat
DeBrincat is far and a way better than Nazar and it is not even remotely close. In 2024-25, DeBrincat had 39 goals and 31 assists for 70 points. The two-time NHL All-Star also had a very respectable 244 shots on goal, 153 more shots than Nazar.
