Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR 550) - Part 3 of our multi-faceted series covering the 2022 NHL Draft and some of the top prospects of the class brings us back to the United States, this time focusing on forward Frank Nazar.
The 18-year-old, University of Michigan commit is widely talked about as one of the best stick handling forwards in this year's draft. However, he is also one of the smallest players at the top of the class at just 5-foot-10 and 181 pounds.
The American is ranked 21st in NHL Central Scouting among North American skaters, and is projected to be drafted anywhere from the fifth overall pick to the 20th overall pick. This is likely due to his size, however, size may not matter as much with a player of his caliber.
Profile
Nazar is another standout with the United States National Team Development Program (USNTDP), who is committed to the Michigan Wolverines for the fall.
Last year in the USNTDP Juniors team in the USHL, the Mt. Clemens, Mich. native scored 35 points (15+20) in 24 games. While playing with the National U18 Team, Nazar managed to rack up 70 point (28+42) in 56 games.
During the 2022 IIHF U18 World Championship this year in Germany, Nazar played well with nine points (3+6) in six games, helping the U.S. to a silver medal finish.
With Nazar being committed to Michigan, he would be playing with current Sabres goalie prospect Erik Portillo. He’s also entering the program that developed Owen Power, who was drafted first overall by the Sabres in the 2021 NHL Draft.
Positives
Nazar is a very small, but speedy forward with quick hands, making him an excellent play-driving center. His greatest strength is his hands that help him weave his way through defenders, making himself the center of attention for defenders, while his teammates set themselves up for a shot.
The quick moves that he’s able to pull off and the ability to drive play give him the look of a power forward. However, he lacks the size to be considered that style of player.
The quickness of his hands not only gives him the ability to move the puck around defenders with ease, but also allows him to create space for a snapshot that could fool the best of goalies.
Defenders will respect the maneuvers that Nazar can pull off by giving him more space, which, in turn, gives him more space to unleash one of his wicked shots.
Negatives
With a player of his size, Nazar would need to bulk up before entering the NHL so that he wouldn’t be muscled off of the puck too easily.
Right now, at 5-foot-10 and 181 pounds, Nazar probably won’t grow much more, so he would need to add on some muscle and fully utilize the low center of gravity he has over other players who are much larger than him.
Given the lack in size, Nazar also has shown issues on the forecheck and backcheck when helping out on defense. While he can be a speedy pest-type that will make defenders regret simple puck handling errors, he can be pushed off of the puck far too easily.
NHL comparison
Nazar wasn’t on the radar of many NHL scouts at first due to his lack of size, but he has shown he can be different from other smaller players, much like another high-profile NHL playmaker.
Brayden Point was very overlooked in the 2014 NHL Draft, as he fell to the third round and was selected 79th overall by the Tampa Bay Lightning. While his junior stats would’ve made most think he should’ve been a first-round pick, he fell out of favor due to his smaller size.
Point has now recorded 368 points in 417 NHL games, as well as being a crucial piece in Tampa Bay’s recent success.
Where does he fit on the Sabres?
Nazar is, yet, another high-profile center in the first round of this draft, who could, once again, add to the already loaded prospect pool of centers the Sabres have.
Unlike Tage Thompson or Dylan Cozens, he would set himself apart with the speed and explosiveness that has made him a playmaking machine at the junior level.
Nazar would be a prospect that Sabres fans could hope to see after, at least, two years in college, so long as his strength increases. He could develop into a standout second-line center for any NHL team for years to come.
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