Blackhawks forward Frank Nazar set to return from jaw injury

Four weeks was long enough for Frank Nazar. The Blackhawks forward is slated to return from a broken jaw Thursday against the Hurricanes.

Nazar had been out since Dec. 20 after taking a shot from Senators defenseman Jordan Spence. He had six goals and 15 assists before the injury and returned to practice on Sunday.

He was a full go at practice on Wednesday, centering the second line with Tyler Bertuzzi and Ryan Donato. The Hawks will need Nazar as they embark on their remaining eight games before the Olympic break. With the standings so condensed, each game carries great impact.

"I thought it was good to get up and down the sheet," Nazar said Wednesday. "Play with some guys that I'll probably be playing with and get those touches in game-like situations."

But just as the Hawks got Nazar and forward Andre Burakovsky (illness) back, forward Teuvo Teravainen (upper body) didn't practice Wednesday and won't travel for Thursday's game against the Hurricanes and will miss his fourth straight game. Coach Jeff Blashill said that Teravainen has been on the ice but will need to practice before returning to game action.

Whether it's been injuries or sickness, the Hawks have had players in and out of the lineup. Blashill hasn't used that as any excuse. He said it's nothing the coaching staff hasn't experienced before.

"I think the biggest thing, messaging-wise, is [that] we’re — on a nightly basis of 20 [players] — good enough to win," Blashill said. "You have to go [in] with zero [excuses] and try to win a hockey game."

But adding Nazar back to the fold is a boost to a Hawks offense that has scored two goals or fewer in four consecutive games. He's speedy and dynamic with the puck on his stick.

"He plays a fast game, and he makes plays," Donato said. "He's a guy that you can rely on multiple fronts. A guy like that, if he's got the engine, he's playing excited. It's definitely gonna be fun to watch and be a part of."

The Hawks are 26th in the NHL in scoring at 2.71 goals for per game. Adding Nazar, the team's top forward after star Connor Bedard, will help improve the offense with his playmaking ability.

Nazar showed at the beginning of the season that he's a bit of a showman. His enthusiasm is felt among his teammates when he's active and on the ice.

"He does a great job of keeping the room light," Donato said.

Nazar was able to skate and work out as he recovered from his jaw injury, but in a lighter capacity. He said he lost around "seven or eight" pounds while he was injured because he couldn't really chew, so he was consuming a lot of liquids.

"I've gained probably [half of my weight] back," Nazar said. "My weight fluctuates throughout the year anyway, so it's pretty normal."

Nazar was happy to reunite with Bertuzzi on the second line. The line of Nazar, Bertuzzi and Teravainen has an impressive shot-attempt ratio of 51.5% on five-on-five situations.

Bertuzzi is having a remarkable bounce-back year for the Hawks. He has already scored more goals (24) than he did last year, and is just nine points away from tying his point total from last season. Nazar and Bertuzzi seem to click whenever they're on the same line.

"I think it's his execution," Nazar said of why he and Bertuzzi mesh. "His wall play is so good. He always finds his speed, and then he gets to those dirty areas. Hopefully he can build that chemistry and find a few good plays coming up."