Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson didn’t know he would be taking Sacha Boisvert at the time. Still, when Davidson packaged three draft picks, including No. 20, in the 2024 draft to get the 18th pick (and No. 50) from the New York Islanders, Davidson felt he could get a better player two spots higher in the first round.
Would Boisvert have been available at 20? Maybe. It’s hard to say. He was probably in that range, according to draft experts.
Ultimately, it doesn’t matter, especially to Davidson. He only cared that the Blackhawks could draft one of the players they had projected as worthy of the 18th pick. In that sense, the Blackhawks got their guy.
In drafting Boisvert, the Blackhawks bring in a forward somewhat different from the other ones Davidson had previously taken in the first round. At 6 feet 2 inches and 180 pounds, Boisvert is bigger than players such as Frank Nazar and Oliver Moore. His shot appears to have a higher ceiling than a lot of the prospects in the pipeline, too. His 36 goals for the Muskegon Lumberjacks were good for fifth in the USHL this past season. To go along with the size and offense, Boisvert is pretty raw with plenty of upside to develop, in the Blackhawks’ view.
Davidson was ecstatic to draft him.
“He put up some good numbers in the USHL, which is traditionally not the easiest league to put offense up in, and then just the physical package, you see him and there’s so much room to fill out, so much room for growth,” Davidson said at the draft in Las Vegas. “He plays with a real edge and real physicality, and so there’s a lot of appeal around both the offensive side and the abrasiveness that he plays with.”
Leading up to the draft and then at it, we spent a lot of time and words on Arytom Levshunov, the Blackhawks’ first pick and the No. 2 selection overall. He was the headliner. Now, we dive into Boisvert, their second selection of the draft. As much as the Blackhawks needed to get the Levshunov and Connor Bedard early picks right, the rebuild’s success likely comes down to how Davidson and his staff fare on their other first- and second-round picks.
Q&A with Sacha Boisvert
What did you take away from your first Blackhawks development camp?
It was great. Just to get to meet all the prospects, guys who are older than me, guys like Frank Nazar, who played a couple (NHL) games, and guys who played games in the AHL. It was great to get that experience and learning how to be a pro and taking my game to another level.
Were there any specific lessons that hit home for you?
Definitely a lot of things, whether it was recovery, nutrition, hydration, all that good stuff. It was great. Things that you really learn to be a pro and things you don’t really see on the ice, but really matter.
What sort of direction have you gotten from the Blackhawks so far on where they’d like you to improve going into the University of North Dakota?
Just really maturing on and off the ice. Putting on some weight, that would be huge. And then, also just my skating. I think just getting stronger is going to help with that part. We’ll go from there. It’s my freshman year right now. It’s just kind of what they told me, just focus on your year and we’ll go from there.
What’s it been like for you trying to add weight the last few years? Is that a challenge?
It’s been good, just getting in the gym a lot and picking up the fork and eating is a huge part. But here at North Dakota is going to be a great spot for that. At the rink, they make food for every meal, breakfast, lunch. There’s no excuses to not get stronger and bigger. I’m really excited.
How much do you weigh and what would you ideally like to be at?
I’m 180 as of right now, and I would like to play in the NHL at 200 pounds, maybe 210.
The Blackhawks don’t have a lot of players who have a similar frame as you in their organizational pipeline. Do you see where you could possibly fit in and fill a role for them in the future?
Yeah, of course, I know there’s a lot of room in the Blackhawks, but I’m not taking anything for granted. I’m just here at North Dakota, put the work in and just get better and get older. I’m really working with the Blackhawks and obviously the staff here at North Dakota to just get me prepared for the NHL level, not only as soon as I can, but as prepared as I can.
What were you pleased about with your game this past season?
I was happy with my offense. I thought it came along. I scored more goals than my first year. I think I doubled the amount of goals. That scoring touch was positive, also my all-around game, my defense and I’d say my leadership.
I was watching video of you from this past season over the last week. With your shot, it seems so effortless at times. It seems smooth, fast and accurate. What goes into your shot? What are the keys to doing that?
Honestly, it’s only practice. There’s no key, no secret to anything. It was reps I got in my backyard when I was younger, shooting pucks with my dad and also just keep shooting it every day. At practice, I like to stay on the ice a little bit after practice, just shoot a couple pucks, pass to my teammates, whether it’s one-timers, backhanders, whatever, just really work on that, getting my reps. And then, I think everything comes along with that, just the accuracy, the quickness, shooting around players. Just practice makes the big thing.
Specifically was there anything you saw different in your shot this year?
I think I got it off quicker off the stick and also trying to utilize opponents to kind of shoot through them and just finding some lanes, just obviously hitting the net is the big part.
What would you have liked to do better this past season? Where do you see the areas for growth?
Just my power forward game, maybe driving the net more, that’s one thing I’d like to do, and then working on my faceoffs. Will be really good here — I got a roommate, Carter Wilkie, he’s a big faceoff guy, and we’ve been talking a little bit about it. Yeah, I’m definitely looking forward to working against and with him in practice and just get better in that area.
Coming from Canada, what was it about the USHL and college path that you decided was best for you?
For me, it was the development question. The NCAA gives me more time to develop individually, like taking my time. We got less games. We’re in the weight room more, like I said, the food here. There’s no excuse to not get better as a player. Really that development aspect really brought me into the USHL and going to college and North Dakota and obviously it was always a dream for me to play at North Dakota.
When did you start learning English?
Four years ago, I think.
Did that go hand in hand with the decision to go this route?
No, not really, but obviously English is important if you want to travel, everything. Honestly, it’s one of the things I’m most proud of, just learning English. As a French Canadian, not everyone speaks English, so I’m just really happy I’m able to do that. I think it came a long way. Now I don’t think it’s too bad.
How boxing helped turn Sacha Boisvert into a top #2024NHLDraft prospect.
My @TheAthletic story on the quiet fighter inside him:https://t.co/7eZ6hjONO6 pic.twitter.com/3nA5aEaoyb
— Scott Wheeler (@scottcwheeler) May 24, 2024
Growing up in your dad’s boxing gym, is there anything you feel has helped you in hockey from that environment?
Just the compete element of it. Boxing to me is one of the most competitive sports. You’re in the ring, one-on-one, man-to-man. You got nowhere to run, nowhere to hide, so it’s really whoever wants it more is going to come out with the win. It reminds me a little bit of hockey. When you go into the corners, battles or anything, you got really want it if you want to come out with that puck. It’s where I see the similarities.
It appears you don’t mind dropping the gloves in hockey either.
No, I don’t mind it. It’s kind of what I grew up in. I don’t mind doing that.
Do you find that you have an advantage with your boxing background?
Yeah, of course, I learned how to throw a punch when I was about 2, 3 years old, so obviously I have a little bit of an advantage on that part, but obviously a hockey fight is way different than a boxing fight.
Do you have a hockey nickname?
I don’t think I have a hockey nickname. The boys, they just call me Sach.
Have you been in Chicago before? Was that your first experience?
It was my first experience in downtown. On the Fourth of July, I went on a little walk. It’s an awesome place, awesome city. It’s great, and I’m super excited.
Now that you’re part of the organization, will it be different following the NHL this season?
For sure. I was a big Montreal Canadiens fan, kind of liked to watch those games. Now, I think I’m going to flip that and be more of a Blackhawks fan, kind of study the game, kind of how they play and their team identity, just really focusing on watching them a little bit more. I think that’s going to help me for the future.
Video
Here’s a look at Boisvert’s shot from this past season. Boisvert, No. 9, handles the puck on the rush, creates some additional space and puts it in a perfect spot.
“He plays on the edge, but he also had 36 goals in that league,” Blackhawks director of amateur scouting Mike Doneghey said. “If you look back at the Kyle Connors and the Brock Boesers and those guys, those are similar numbers to what he had. He’s got size down the middle, he can skate, he’s good on faceoffs and he’s another fantastic kid.”
Another look at his release:
Boisvert doesn’t score on this one, but you get a sense of his skating ability and what he’s able to do in transition.
This is an example of how Boisvert can use his length, skating and aggressiveness on the forecheck. On this play, he helps win the puck back, gets off a shot in the slot and then sets up a teammate for a goal.
In the same game as the above clip, Boisvert also adds a primary assist on the second goal. Here on the power play, he starts in the corner, skates into the net-front role, then pops out to receive a pass and sets up a teammate at the front of the net. That shows his versatility and play recognition.
“He’s a big body down the middle that gets around the ice really well that has a good scoring touch,” Doneghey said. “He can play in a shutdown role; he’s on a power play in Muskegon; I’m sure he’ll be that at North Dakota at some point. He just has a good overall skill package in a variety of roles.”
And one more that game, as he records his third primary assist. He had 32 assists in 61 games this past season. He also had a fight in that game.
Boisvert uses his size and length to create a diversion while dropping off a pass to a teammate. If his teammate had been a right-handed shot, this play may have worked out better.
NHLe projection
Boisert’s development path based on Byron Bader’s projection model
The Athletic’s 2024 NHL Draft scouting reports
Ranked 27th by Corey Pronman: “Boisvert has been a highly productive USHL player over the last two seasons. He has a lot of appealing tools for the NHL. He’s a 6-2 center who can skate and has legit offensive abilities. He is very skilled and instinctive with the puck. He’s able to beat defenders with pace as well. Boisvert has an excellent shot and is a threat to score from the faceoff dots. I don’t love his playmaking as he’s certainly more of a shoot-first type of player but he can make tough plays. His compete is fine. He’s not going to be known for that aspect of his game but he wins enough battles and uses his size. He could be a middle-six forward in the NHL.”
Ranked 24th by Scott Wheeler: “Boisvert’s got desired height and position on his side, room to fill out his once-wiry frame (which he already added a bunch of muscle to last summer; he still looks lean with further growth to come), and NHL skill and competitiveness. Intangibles come up a lot when you speak to people about him (he even dropped the gloves a few times this year, including in the playoffs). The skill includes a quick and accurate NHL-level release, good instincts on and off the puck, above-average feet (he’s a decent skater, even if a little upright in his stance), a developing power game and great feel with the puck on his stick both at speed and in slowing the game down (though a high grip and long stick can occasionally limit him with the puck so far out in front of his body). Add in his impressive work ethic and a two-way commitment and there’s a lot to like. He’s got to put some more weight on and improve in the faceoff circle (which will come with more strength) but there’s a projectable game there with the right development/refinement and I’m confident the staff at North Dakota will do a good job with him. He’s got middle-six upside and there was some top-15 chatter about him late in the year, but after struggling to be a game-changer in tighter playoff games, I wonder if that has softened.”
Where does Boisvert fit in the rebuild?
As mentioned before Boisvert is different from a lot of the forwards the Blackhawks have coming. The Blackhawks look at him and Colton Dach as two potential power forward types who could play in the top six. The Blackhawks will give Boisvert a few years at North Dakota. They’re not going to rush him, especially with a priority on him getting bigger and stronger.
When could Boisvert join the Blackhawks?
Boisvert will be a freshman at the University of North Dakota for the 2024-25 season. My best guess is he probably will spend at least two years there. If that’s the case, he’d turn pro for the 2026-27 season. From there, the Blackhawks will gauge his next step. If he spends a year mostly in Rockford, his first full NHL season would be the 2027-28 season.
(Photo: Stephen R. Sylvanie / USA Today)
