Analysis
Frank Nazar Proves Size is Not a Factor in Forechecking

The Chicago Blackhawks have blown their fair share of third-period leads this season. Thursday night’s 3-2 shootout loss to the Nashville Predators felt different. They played very well at 5v5 during the first two periods before the Predators took control of the final frame. They almost escaped regulation with a win before a defensive breakdown led to Filip Forsberg’s game-tying goal with three minutes to play.
“Simple and direct, everyone was on the same page,” Tyler Bertuzzi said, explaining why things worked in the first 40 minutes. “Things started to open up from there. Obviously, they’re going to push. They’re a very skilled team. I think we handled it pretty well defensively.”
The Blackhawks followed the 2024-25 season script. They played well for 40 minutes and came away with another “moral victory.” This loss was different because the long-term picture is starting to come into focus.
Former head coach Luke Richardson could not find a line that worked for Connor Bedard. He tried just about every combination possible except using Bertuzzi, despite him playing with Bedard during the preseason. When Anders Sorensen took over in early December, he elevated Bertuzzi to the top line, and he’s played the best hockey of the season ever since.
Midway through Monday’s loss to the Calgary Flames, Sorensen put Frank Nazar on the right side of that line. He played well enough to stay there for the start of the Nashville game. With how well that line clicked on Thursday, Nazar isn’t going anywhere for the time being.
The line was dangerous all game long. Nazar had a beautiful scoring chance early that Jusse Saros got just enough of to deflect over the net. Bedard’s goal in the second period was a product of Nazar’s forecheck. He pressured Brady Skjei into passing the puck around the boards before his partner was ready. Bertuzzi knew where Bedard would be and quickly fed him the puck in the high slot, where he scored his 13th goal of the season.
“Frankie was great tonight,” said Bertuzzi. “He was really good on the forecheck. That’s when we’re at our best: forechecking, creating turnovers, and getting some opportunities off of those.”
Nazar showed off the most underrated aspect of his game: the forechecking. He proved that you don’t have to be a big, bruising power forward to be an effective forechecker. His speed allows him to beat defenders to pucks and apply a ton of pressure. The young forward has shown that he’s not afraid of contact to make a play.
The top line got some momentum back when the Predators had the ice tilted in their favor during the third period. On one shift, Betruzzi had a breakaway, quickly followed by prime scoring chances by Bedard and Nazar. Saros stopped all three shots and essentially won the game for his team in that sequence. It wasn’t long after this shift when Forsberg tied the game and gave the Predators the chance to win in the shootout.
After the game, Sorensen said the trio “did a lot of good things.” The Blackhawks envision Bedard and Nazar playing down the middle, which could still happen. However, there is nothing wrong with putting them together down the stretch to get some consistent offense. During the Cup runs of the 2010s, the Blackhawks had the “nuclear option” of playing Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane together. Perhaps Bedard and Nazar will be this generation’s nuclear option. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. One game at a time, and the next one will be tough against the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday.