The Chicago Blackhawks called up Frank Nazar from the Rockford IceHogs on Friday, heralding his much-anticipated NHL season debut.
The Hawks also placed defenseman Alec Martinez on injured reserve with a neck injury, retroactive to Dec. 7.
Nazar leads all AHL rookies in goals (11) and points (24) as of Friday, and he ranks seventh and sixth in those categories among all skaters. The 5-foot-10 center recently had a four-game point streak in which he recorded three goals and five assists.
The Hawks have been playing better under interim coach Anders Sorensen, who has emphasized getting defensemen more involved on offense, but they still rank third from last in goals per game (3.17).
The Hawks drafted Nazar at No. 13 in 2022, and he’s generally regarded as the team’s top offensive prospect.
He played his first three NHL games at the tail end of last season, scoring a goal in his Blackhawks debut against the Carolina Hurricanes on April 14.
He’ll get his first chance this season against the New Jersey Devils at noon Saturday (CHSN) at Prudential Center.
Meanwhile, with Martinez joining Seth Jones (right foot) on IR, the Hawks will be without their top two defensemen.