Blackhawks Notes: Nazar, Levshunov, Hall

Blackhawks forward prospect Frank Nazar knows what he needs to do in training camp to lock down a roster spot and keep it through his rookie season. The 20-year-old spoke recently to Scott Powers of The Athletic, who detailed the 2022 first-round pick’s chances of sticking with the big club in his first professional season.

“Definitely just the pace of the play, being able to keep up with all those guys for 82 games a year and not just the last three and then just being able to make plays really quickly under pressure and be able to get good at those things, and I think I’d be in a good spot,” Nazar said. “That’s how it’s been my whole life is earning where I got, and it’s just another time where I got to earn my spot on a team and show guys I deserve to be there and just put in all that work, and I know everything’s going to work out.”

The diminutive Detroit-born forward was a force for the University of Michigan last season, recording 41 points in 41 games after an injury limited him to 13 appearances in his freshman campaign. Checking in at 5’9″ and 174 lbs, Nazar recorded eight points in seven games to help guide the USA to a gold medal at this year’s World Junior Championship. He scored a goal in three appearances with the Blackhawks to end last season after his campaign at Michigan drew to a close.

There’s more from Chicagoland:

• The consensus opinion is that 2024 second-overall pick Artyom Levshunov will likely start this season with the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs. NHL.com’s Dan Rosen concurred with that sentiment in a mailbag article today but thinks the Blackhawks will at least leave the door open for Levshunov to land a nine-game trial with an exceptionally strong training camp. There’s no reason to rush Levshunov into NHL minutes after just one collegiate season at Michigan State, especially after the team added T.J. Brodie and Alec Martinez to its blue line in free agency.
• Rosen also lists winger Taylor Hall as one of the top bounce-back candidates to watch this season. The trade acquisition from the Bruins had just four points in 10 games last season before an ACL tear ended his season. But unlike last year, when he was virtually guaranteed playing time alongside rookie phenom Connor Bedard, he’ll now have to fight UFA signings Tyler Bertuzzi and Teuvo Teräväinen for top-line minutes.