What is keeping Blackhawks' Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar off the same line?

The Chicago Blackhawks have one star moving, the other... Doing everything he can.

Frank Nazar is on a four-game point streak with six total points, two goals, and four assists. His speed on the rush is his best skill on offense, and his playmaking should be used more often and with a better plan. Nazar is more of a passer than a sniper, as well, so... Why not place him with a sniper? You've got Nick Lardis on the third or fourth line for some reason most nights (Jeff Blashill needs to explain his reasoning there), so why not shuffle a bit? Or, how about another well-known goal scorer?

Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar should play together for a stretch

It just makes sense: Bedard needs someone who can keep up with him skill-wise, and Andre Burakovsky is not cutting it. Sure, Blashill wants some responsible guys on Bedard's line, but Nazar is also on the penalty kill unit. You've got a responsible guy in his own zone as well as a playmaking machine with the right guys on his line. Bedard needs someone to take some pressure off him as well. Keep Ryan Greene on that line as well, and I don't see much wrong with that move.

The team may be overloading with their top-two talents on the same line, but Bedard is taking the hardest matchups anyway. The opposition would have three guys on him during the breakout, like the Mammoth did last Tuesday. He had nowhere to go and no help, either. Had Nazar been there, the Mammoth would have to shift to cover him on the opposite flank.

What has been the long-lasting complaint so far? Connor Bedard doesn't have a linemate who can keep up, and Burakovsky should be off that first line. Who can keep up with the Blackhawks outside of Nazar? Speed, hockey IQ, playmaking, he has everything Bedard needs in a linemate. Development has been the front office's battle cry for years, but Bedard's development has been in a stalemate. He is much better defensively, but what about helping him offensively? Kyle Davidson clearly doesn't want to bring anyone in for the next couple of seasons, so it has to come from within.

Roman Kansterov is the best bet, but he won't be coming over for a bit. Anton Frondell may need more time adjusting than we expect. Sasha Boisvert is a bottom-six forward, that's where his skill lies. Vaclav Nestrasil won't be coming for a few seasons either, one more in college, another in the AHL to fill out his massive 6'5 frame. Mason West will also take some time before he debuts in the NHL. That sums up the Blackhawks' best forward prospects.

Blashill has a lot to answer for this offseason, including the lack of improvement the young guys have displayed as the season progressed. Moore looks like he is finding his footing, but why has it taken this long for the coaching staff to lock on his strengths? Where is the attempt to find their foundation skills and build from those? You can clearly see their raw abilities, such as Moore's speed, Lardis's shot, Kevin Korchinski's skating ability, and Artyom Levshunov's creativity (the guy skated circles in the offensive zone a few weeks ago, what happened to that?).

For both Nazar and Bedard's growth as players, place them on the same line and just see what happens. Give it a couple of weeks and see what comes of it. This team is packed with potential, that much is obvious, but the lineup has too many question marks. No one is playing with like-minded players on the same line, except for maybe the third line.