Detroit native Frank Nazar inks landmark deal with the Chicago Blackhawks after a solid rookie campaign.
Frank Nazar has always carried the grit and determination instilled in him as a native of Mount Clemens. Now, the dynamic forward has signed a landmark seven-year contract extension with the Chicago Blackhawks, with an annual cap hit of $6.59 million.
The new deal is the largest ever given to an NHL forward with so little professional experience at 56 career games. The previous benchmark was set by Kirill Kaprizov’s five-year, $45 million deal after 55 games in 2021.
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The deal, which begins in 2026-27, marks a major commitment from the team to a player who's quickly become a cornerstone of their rebuild. The 21-year-old is heading into the final year of his entry-level contract, but the Blackhawks wasted no time ensuring he’d be part of their long-term plans.
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"Frank elevated his game last season and has proven himself to be one of the top young talents in the league," Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson said in a statement "Frank is an integral piece of our team, and we're thrilled to have him with us for the next eight seasons."
His journey to this point traces back to Michigan as Nazar starred at the University of Michigan for two seasons. He began with seven points in 13 games through his freshman season, but it was his sophomore year that turned heads across the hockey world. Nazar averaged a point-per-game through 41 apperances as he turned into a must-watch prospect that made the Blackhawks draft him 13th overall in the 2022 NHL Draft
As a rookie in the 2024-25 season, Nazar lived up to the hype, putting up 12 goals and 14 assists across 53 games. His end-to-end speed, relentless motor, and ability to create chaos in the offensive zone made him one of the team's few bright spots after finishing with a 25-46-11 record for second-worst in the NHL.
Internationally, Nazar’s talent was also evident on the global stage as he helped lead Team USA to gold at both the 2024 World Junior Championship (eight points in seven games) and the 2025 World Championship (12 points in 10 games).
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