Frank Nazar Nearing Return as Blackhawks Await Boost to Forward Group
For the first time since suffering an injury back on December 20, Frank Nazar was back on the ice with his Blackhawks teammates Saturday morning ahead of their matchup with the Boston Bruins. While he wasn’t a full participant-still in a grey non-contact jersey and sporting a half-face shield-it marked a key step forward in his recovery.
Nazar has missed the last 12 games with what’s believed to be a broken jaw, and while he didn’t join line rushes or drills involving contact, his presence on the ice signals progress. Head coach Jeff Blashill said the plan is for Nazar to take part in Sunday’s full practice session, which would be his first since the injury.
“He’s going to work himself back in here, and the morning skate is a good start,” Blashill said. “We anticipate him practicing with us tomorrow… after that, we’ll see where the timeline goes. But he’s starting to work himself back into it, so that’s a good thing for sure.”
While Nazar won’t suit up against Boston and isn’t expected to return for Monday’s game against the Winnipeg Jets-where the Blackhawks will face franchise legend Jonathan Toews-his timeline is clearly tightening. After that matchup, the team gets two days off before a tough back-to-back against the Carolina Hurricanes and Tampa Bay Lightning. If all goes well in practice, one of those games could be a realistic target for Nazar’s return.
The Blackhawks could certainly use the spark. Nazar’s speed and energy were sorely missed in Thursday’s 3-1 loss to the Calgary Flames, a game that highlighted just how much the team is lacking pace up front without him-and without Teuvo Teravainen.
While Nazar’s status is trending in the right direction, the same can’t yet be said for Teravainen. The veteran winger is set to miss his second straight game Saturday due to an upper-body injury, and Blashill didn’t have a firm update on his availability moving forward.
“No, not more definitive,” Blashill said when asked if there was any clarity on Teravainen’s timeline. “It’s still kind of wait and see.
When I know more, I’ll let you know. But not more definitive.”
It’s a tough break, especially considering Saturday’s game against Boston includes a celebration of the Blackhawks’ 2015 Stanley Cup championship team-a group Teravainen was part of during his first stint in Chicago. It would’ve been a fitting moment for the forward to suit up, but the team is opting to play it safe with his recovery.
Teravainen hasn’t had the strongest season to date, but his absence-combined with Nazar’s-has left a noticeable void in the Hawks’ forward corps. Without their speed and playmaking, the offense has looked stagnant at times, and the team has struggled to generate consistent scoring chances.
With Nazar inching closer and Teravainen still in wait-and-see mode, the Blackhawks are hoping reinforcements aren’t far off. In a season where every lineup boost matters, getting one or both of them back soon could be a timely lift.