Michigan hockey: Two future Wolverines selected in first round of 2022 NHL Draft
Michigan hockey’s recent run of success in the NHL Draft continued on Thurday night. The Wolverines had a pair of incoming freshmen selected in center Frank Nazar and forward Rutger McGroarty.
The Michigan men were selected in consecutive picks. Nazar was the No. 13 overall pick of the Chicago Blackhawks, while McGroarty went 14th to the Winnipeg Jets. Both players are expected to play key roles as true freshmen in Ann Arbor given the exodus of talent from last season’s team.
Nazar spent the last two seasons with the US National Team Development Program and is a Mount Clemens, Michigan native. He won a silver medal with Team USA at the 2022 U18 World Championships, where he recorded nine points in six games.
“Frankie may be the fastest skater in the NHL Draft this season, which allows him to create offense through fast transition in all three zones of the ice,” assistant Brandon Naurato said in February. “He has been a proven scorer at every level that he has played at growing up, and we expect the same when he puts on the maize and blue jersey.”
Nazar had 57 points (28 goals, 27 assists) in 45 games in 2020-21 and finished with 128 points (58 goals, 70 assists) in 103 games overall with USNTDP.
“Probably one of the more dynamic guys in the draft and certainly one of the better skaters,” NHL analyst Chris Peters told MLive this week. “I think if he were a couple of inches taller, we’d be talking about him in the top five. I tend not to worry about the height as much and think he’s a heck of a player.”
Michigan has another in McGroarty
McGroarty, the newest member of the Jets, also spent time with the USNTDP and totaled 110 points (55 goals, 55 assists) in 107 games played. He was also a part of the U18 World Championship silver medal team with Nazar. The Nebraska native is the first player from his state to be selected in the draft since 2013.
“Recently named the MVP of the All American Biosteel Game, Rutger can impact a game in multiple ways,” Naurato said. “He is a skilled power forward who can play the physical game on the walls and score from anywhere on the ice. His high hockey IQ also allows him to play a fast-paced game on entries and exits due to his elite vision and playmaking. Currently the captain on the NTDP U18s, he is a proven winner that will add another leadership voice in the room.
Other members of Michigan hockey’s 2022 class include forwards Gavin Brindley, Kienan Draper, Adam Fantilli, Jackson Hallum, and defensemen Hunter Brzustewicz, Seamus Casey, John Druskinis, Luca Fantilli and Brendan Miles.
