F Frank Nazar - Michigan Wolverines, NCAA (2022, 13th, CHI)

William H Bonney

Registered User
Feb 27, 2002
25,188
7,329
Colorado
That's good news - love to see Nazar center Brindley and McGroarty. Don't know if him or Hughes or a new recruit will get the top spot but I gotta think Nazar will have a top role this coming season.

The top 2 centers should be Nazar and Hughes. Chemistry will likely determine the line they each center. Nazar is much more talented but Hughes is over 2 years older, which helps at lot in college hockey. It won't be as deep of a team after losing Fantilli and Samoskevich as Michigan didn't bring in any elite recruits for the upcoming season, although they are adding some nice pieces up front.
 

EbonyRaptor

Registered User
Jul 10, 2009
7,264
3,158
Geezerville
The top 2 centers should be Nazar and Hughes. Chemistry will likely determine the line they each center. Nazar is much more talented but Hughes is over 2 years older, which helps at lot in college hockey. It won't be as deep of a team after losing Fantilli and Samoskevich as Michigan didn't bring in any elite recruits for the upcoming season, although they are adding some nice pieces up front.

It was probably Samoskevich I was thinking of because I thought UM was losing Fantilli and another top forward. I'm glad it isn't Brindley because I plan on seeing a bunch of UM games and he is a joy to watch.
 

William H Bonney

Registered User
Feb 27, 2002
25,188
7,329
Colorado
It was probably Samoskevich I was thinking of because I thought UM was losing Fantilli and another top forward. I'm glad it isn't Brindley because I plan on seeing a bunch of UM games and he is a joy to watch.

Yeah, Samoskevich was a bit of a surprise. He's very talented but I think would have benefited from one more college season to round out his game and improve his consistency. If he would have returned, Michigan would essentially have 2 elite #1 lines.
 

EbonyRaptor

Registered User
Jul 10, 2009
7,264
3,158
Geezerville
Yeah, Samoskevich was a bit of a surprise. He's very talented but I think would have benefited from one more college season to round out his game and improve his consistency. If he would have returned, Michigan would essentially have 2 elite #1 lines.

Yeah, and now with Cooley and Knies gone from UMinn the Wolverines have a good shot at the top spot in the Big10. I haven't followed Quinipiac close enough to know how much of their championship team is returning but I think they had a lot of seniors in their lineup so they probably won't be as good. BC should be pretty good with the top USNDTP line going there.
 

TLEH

Pronounced T-Lay
Feb 28, 2015
19,856
15,582
Bomoseen, Vermont
Anyone watch both games this weekend? Hasnt really dominated the scoresheet like I expected this season. Also only playing third line minutes?
 

WarriorofTime

Registered User
Jul 3, 2010
29,366
17,645
How in the world you take Nazar 1st OV?!?!
Nazar was drafted with a pick Montreal held (which was originally the Islanders pick) on Draft Day.

Alexander Romanov and a 2022 4th round Pick -> 2022 NYI 1st Round (13th overall) Pick -> Kirby Dach

(MTL also sent their own 2022 3rd round pick (66th overall, first pick in the the third round) to CHI for Dach).
 

Cubebrick

Registered User
Mar 5, 2014
523
578
The habs wouldn’t have got the 13th if it wasn’t for Dach so it’s irrelevant.

But yes, Nazar’s a good prospect.
That's not 100% accurate. Hughes refuted that at this past draft when he talked to the media about the circumstances of trading picks for older prospects following the Newhook trade, where he said "We really traded Romanov for 13th, and we could've held 13th and used the pick instead of Kirby".

But obviously he planned the whole thing knowing full well what the asking price for Dach was at the time.
 

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Ad