The Blackhawks’ win over the Rangers on Wednesday night checked almost every box that you would want from the team. Connor Bedard scored a highlight-reel goal. Tyler Bertuzzi deposited loose change again. Spencer Knight was spectacular in net and got a shutout. The Blackhawks were able to beat Igor Shesterkin three times. It was the right bounce-back effort that you hoped to see.
When I say almost every box, that’s because Frank Nazar still can’t buy a goal.
He had a few chances. One opportunity specifically will get a lot of clicks because it seemed like he had another golden opportunity to break his goal-less drought but whiffed on the attempt — twice.
Frank Nazar with the steal for a clear-cut breakaway but he fumbles away the puck. He’s soooo due for a goal pic.twitter.com/cqkXhxbrbu
— BHF (@BlackhawksFocus) December 11, 2025But there’s more to this specific moment and the rest of Nazar’s night that is worth discussing. How did he got the puck in that position to score? Nazar took the puck away and skated away from the Rangers around him to be completely clear of the defense. His defense continues to be good. And his effort in that part of his game continues to be noteworthy.
There were a few moments last night where Nazar’s defense made a difference. The biggest was breaking up a would-be scoring chance for Artemi Panarin while the Blackhawks were up two. If the Breadman finishes there, the complexion of the game changes. But Nazar sprinted back and got just enough to break up the play.
Other areas of Nazar’s game aren’t taking a step back as he searches for a goal. That shows the young forward is implementing what the coaches are preaching into his game.
Trust the Process
Nazar is learning in his first full season in the NHL something that the coaches have talked about frequently this year: sometimes, a break-even shift is a win.
That’s a hard reality for a lot of young players to understand and appreciate because, if you get to the NHL, you were probably a great scorer at some point along the way — and you want to show that in the League.
That learning process isn’t lost on Nazar.
“I mean, the greatest players in the world are out there going out each shift and even if it’s like, okay, you’re stuck in the D zone, you’re stuck in the neutral zone chasing and then you got to get off, sometimes those shifts are all right,” Nazar said. “You have to break teams down, you’ve got to make them not want to work and tire them out. Until you get that opportunity to execute — then you execute. It’s something that I think everybody’s struggled with. It’s something you learn from.”
I talked to Nazar before the game on Wednesday about playing the complete game while the goals have been hard to come by. His locker is right next to Jason Dickinson’s in the room at the United Center, and Dickinson made eye contact with Nazar a couple times while we talked about how veterans on the bench are helping him with the process. Nazar said Dickinson has been a big help for him and the other young guys.
“There are times when you’re going to score and other when you’re not going to score. You go through tough times,” Nazar said Wednesday morning. “Guys like Jason, Bert [Tyler Bertuzzi] are always giving good advice about keeping your head up. It’s definitely something we talk about. Maybe this didn’t happen, but that was still a good shift. It’s something that me, Mooresy [Oliver Moore] and Bert have brought up playing together.”
Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn ImagesFor a 21-year-old who’s trying to not only learn how to handle an 82-game NHL schedule for the first time but also live up to a big extension this season, Nazar seemingly being able to keep his focus on process is impressive. Lots of young guys get lost in their struggles and get frustrated with a goal drought like Nazar is experiencing right now.
Blackhawks head coach Jeff Blashill was asked about Nazar’s scoring struggles after the game. His response helps explain how and why the young players on the roster talk about process as much as they do. Blashill isn’t focused exclusively on Nazar struggling to put the puck in the net.
“Honestly, I thought Frank Nazar was as good as he’s played probably all season,” Blashill said after the game. “I thought he was excellent tonight. I look at process, I look at things like being over the puck and being strong on the puck and having those opportunities to make plays and using his speed. Yes, there have been nights where maybe St. Louis, in St. Louis he was flashier. But I thought for the things it’s going to take for Frank to be a really, really big-time difference maker, he was excellent tonight. Is it frustrating when you’re not scoring? Yes. Our job as a coaching staff is to keep him focused on the process because points come and go. I’ve seen it all the time. He’ll get his points if he plays like that on a consistent basis.”
After the Blackhawks got blown out in Anaheim, I wrote about Nazar having a better night than the highlights might lead you to believe. Focusing exclusively on offense leaves a lot of hockey being played out of the conversation.
If we as media and fans focus only on the singular moment in which a player like Nazar fails to score, we’re all missing a big part of the game. Right now, Nazar is working on every aspect of his game to be an impactful player in the NHL. Scoring isn’t happening, and that’s frustrating for everyone. But him doing the other things to help the Blackhawks win will continue to give him chances to end that drought.
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