Frank Nazar gave Jeff Blashill and the Chicago Blackhawks a serious scare Thursday night after narrowly avoiding a dangerous collision with an open bench door.
The frightening sequence unfolded against the New York Islanders, with Nazar skating toward the boards as the Blackhawks' bench door sat wide open.
What should have been a routine battle along the boards suddenly turned into a potentially dangerous situation for one of Chicago's most important young forwards.
The replay shows Nazar approaching the open doorway at speed, with Islanders players nearby and Blackhawks teammates standing inside their bench.
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There was almost no room for error. An awkward impact with the exposed opening could have left Nazar dealing with something far worse than a routine collision.
Thankfully, Nazar avoided the worst of it, turning an alarming moment into a massive sigh of relief for Chicago.
The footage shared by Gino Hard captures just how quickly the situation developed. Nazar slides toward the open doorway, his skates cutting across the ice as teammates watch from behind the boards.
The positioning of that door is what makes the sequence so unsettling. Players expect the boards to provide a continuous barrier, not an exposed opening during a fast-moving play.
For Blashill, losing Nazar to an avoidable incident would have been an especially frustrating development with Chicago trying to establish momentum early in the season.
Nazar had just scored his first goal of the season against the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday, helping the Blackhawks secure a 4-2 victory in their home opener.
His speed, puck movement and offensive instincts make him an important part of Chicago's forward group. Keeping him available matters as the organization continues developing its young core.
The incident also raises an obvious question about bench management. Doors need to be secured during live play, especially when skaters are battling for possession directly along the boards.
There has been no confirmed injury resulting from the sequence, and the footage alone doesn't establish whether Nazar required any medical attention afterward.
Chicago escaped a potentially ugly situation. For Nazar, the most important outcome wasn't a goal, an assist or another shift. It was avoiding a collision that could have changed his season.
Should the NHL introduce stricter penalties for teams leaving bench doors open during play?
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