The Chicago Blackhawks did not get the news teams want to hear regarding their young stars. During the first period of Saturday’s 6-4 loss to the Ottawa Senators, center Frank Nazar left the game. Nazar took a shot in the face at the 5:11 mark and did not return.
Here’s a look at the gruesome injury:
Following the game, TSN reported that the club could be without Nazar for the next four weeks. As for the official injury, Blackhawks coach Jeff Blashill laid it out bluntly:
“You saw the play. He got hit right in the face.”
The blood pretty much told the story. Judging from previous experience, the 21-year-old will likely need some dental work. That situation could affect Nazar’s timeline for return. In some cases, players recover from facial injuries much faster than anticipated.
In other cases, such as Boston Bruins Charlie McAvoy, extensive dental work means more time off.
But the hope is that Nazar will return soon enough. The former 13th overall pick from the 2022 NHL Draft has six goals and 21 points in 33 games this season. He’s in the final year of his entry-level contract. His massive seven-year contract extension with the Blackhawks will kick in next season.
Blackhawks Dealing with Severe Case of Injury Bug
The Blackhawks have been hit with a severe case of the injury bug in recent weeks. The team has been without captain Nick Foligno since November 15 due to a hand injury. Losing Foligno was a tough blow, but the club seemed to manage the situation.
Then, Connor Bedard went down in the final minutes of the Blackhawks 3-2 loss against the St. Louis Blues on December 12. Bedard sustained a shoulder injury and could be out for roughly a month.
Now, losing Nazar is the latest blow to a Blackhawks team that’s been reeling of late. Saturday’s loss to the Senators was Chicago’s fifth in a row. The club is now 2-7-1 in its last 10 and taking on water fast.
Losing Nazar will not help the Blackhawks’ chances as they look to rebound from their ongoing rebuild.
Chicago Back in Last Place in Central Division
The Blackhawks are now back in the Central Division cellar. The Nashville Predators’ Saturday night over the Toronto Maple Leafs tied them with Chicago at 32 points. However, the Preds have one more regulation win than the Blackhawks. That difference technically puts Nashville ahead of Chicago in the Central.
With the injury bug ravaging the Blackhawks, the outlook does not look good. Unless the Blackhawks can somehow get back into their early-season form, it looks like they’ll be headed towards another lottery pick this season.
While getting a high pick in a deep draft is not a bad way to go, fans may be growing weary of the Blackhawks’ futility. The encouraging start offers glimpses of what could be on the horizon for Chicago.
In the meantime, however, it looks like another losing season will be the norm for 2026. There’s still time for the Blackhawks to rebound, though the prognosis is no bueno at this time.
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