ROCKFORD, Ill. — The Chicago Blackhawks went out this past offseason and added a lot of veterans. From forwards to defensemen to a goalie, the Blackhawks brought in players who could be plugged in throughout their lineup.

The one position where the Blackhawks didn’t add an obvious player was at second-line center. While there was a chance Philipp Kurashev, Lukas Reichel, Andreas Athanasiou or someone else might prove worthy to play that role, the Blackhawks held that spot somewhat open.

That was largely done because the Blackhawks wanted to see whether Frank Nazar, one of their top center prospects, could win the job. He was drafted with the 13th pick in 2022 to be a top-six center and looked promising in his few NHL preseason games this season. The Blackhawks weren’t sure whether the 20-year-old Nazar was ready for that next step yet, but they were willing to give him the opportunity.

That audition didn’t go as well as Nazar or the Blackhawks hoped and he was assigned to the Rockford IceHogs of the AHL to start the season. He and the Blackhawks are optimistic it’s just a temporary stop before he gets to where they all expect him to be. The Blackhawks still plan on him being their second-line center of the future.

“I thought (his preseason) was strong, perhaps just not enough to kick the door down and jump into the NHL,” Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson recently said. “But there’s some things we really liked about Frank’s game, and you can just see he’s such a smart player. He can make these plays that not a lot of other players can make. We love his pace. I think it’s just getting used to the pro game. Consistency for any young player is a big thing, but consistency using what he’s best at, his assets to his advantage, I think is something that’s best repped out in Rockford. But I thought he was really good. I wouldn’t say he had a below-average camp or an average game. I thought he had a really good camp. Just we had bodies here and it just wasn’t enough to kind of bump someone out of a spot at the NHL level. But he’s got every opportunity to go down there and show us that he is ready to come up and stay.”

Nazar is already doing that. Three games into his AHL stint, Nazar has been showing signs he’s going to be ready sooner than later to return to Chicago. He’s produced two goals and two assists and consistently made plays on the penalty kill, power play and even strength.

In Nazar’s last game, an IceHogs’ 5-2 loss to the Milwaukee Admirals, he was noticeable throughout the game. There was one penalty kill shift where he was responsible for two short-handed scoring chances. He only ended up with a goal late in the game, but he could have plenty of more points if he and his teammates had finished chances.

The Blackhawks aren’t too concerned about Nazar’s production. It’s all about his habits. What IceHogs coach Anders Sorensen is especially reiterating daily with Nazar is to be in constant motion.

“It’s just his ability to keep moving his feet,” Sorensen said. “He’s a really good skater. I think he gets it as long as he moves his feet and is really active, especially without the puck, that he’s engaged in, above his checks and little things like that, and then his reaction in transition. When you saw his breaking scoring in the preseason there, he’s really dynamic. So we want to get him those situations where he is constantly on the hunt for pucks, if it’s backchecking, coming back hard and the little things like that, but just get him up in the pro habits and that.”

Sorensen isn’t the first person to say he wants Nazar to keep moving his feet. How will Sorensen reinforce that and get him to do it more consistently?

“I think we try to put him in an environment every day in practice where he’s in those situations, where there’s a consequence if he doesn’t react in transition either way,” Sorensen said. “With Franky, I think he’s such an intelligent player that sometimes he reads the situation really well and therefore at times he doesn’t move his feet. The more familiarity that he has and the better the road map is for him, so there’s predictability so he knows where he’s supposed to be, I think that would help him. I think predictability for most players, if there’s a road map, it makes life a lot easier for him. But if they’re not sure where they’re supposed to be, they’re not sure where they’re supposed to go, I think it makes it hard for any player.”

Predictability was also a word Nazar used when asked about the difference in his game when he’s moving his feet.

“Honestly, I think it’s just predictability, just knowing where my teammates are, what’s going on in the ice, not having to think about it,” Nazar said after the IceHogs’ season opener. “Knowing that I can go or do what I have to do, forecheck, just being able to do that and just kind of play freely is nice. Obviously as we (get) going in the season, it’s going to get better and better and better. We saw that last year at Michigan. As the season got going, started getting better, came back from world juniors, felt really good, that’s just how it goes.”

Just like any player with NHL aspirations, Nazar was disappointed to be sent to Rockford, but he also understood the decision. He wasn’t overly proud about his preseason either. He believes he’s capable of much more.

“I’m just going to do me and just do my best to make that team,” Nazar said. “Obviously didn’t have the best preseason, so I can see from that standpoint. I’m just going to keep doing me, focus on myself, not worrying about anything.

“Honestly, I love it (in Rockford). I think the staff here is really great. Really good at teaching, good at helping guys learn and understand the game a lot better. We got a lot of time on the ice and the facility is great. Honestly, I think it’s great.”

Regardless of how Nazar plays in Rockford over the coming weeks, Davidson isn’t likely to rush him back to the NHL. Davidson has too many forwards in Chicago already, and he’ll want to ensure Nazar has enough pro reps and has shown enough consistency to get another NHL look. It wouldn’t be surprising if Nazar got another chance come December or January.

Davidson did say he envisions Nazar at center long-term. The Blackhawks have drafted a lot of centers in the past few years. At some point, Davidson will have to move some, but Nazar isn’t in those plans.

“I just think the way he plays and the way he sees the game, you know, at pace at the NHL level or can at the NHL level,” Davidson said. “We saw a little bit last year in such a small sample size, but I think the way he plays the game and the way he moves the puck and the pace at which he can play, I think that’s his best position.”

Nazar will wait his turn. He plans to utilize Rockford as best as he can.

“(I want to) fill out my all-around game and hopefully win some games down here in Rockford, make a playoff push and help the team win,” Nazar said. “That’s about it. Everything is going to fall in place. That’s the first thing. Once the team does well, individually, guys and yourself do well. That’s what I’m going to focus on.”