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“I think they’re going to be studs, both of them.” Rockford IceHogs head coach Anders Sorensen said this quote about defensemen Alex Vlasic and Isaak Phillips in April. This assertion carried weight as a few prospects whom Chicago Blackhawks followers have been excessive on.
When coaches say issues like this about any participant, you realize it’s one thing you wish to maintain in your again pocket as a result of coaches see what followers don’t. Now, 10 months later, this quote appears pertinent, particularly to Alex Vlasic, as he flew below the radar and got here out with a bang as one of many staff’s finest as a 22-year-old rookie. Even higher? He flipped the script on criticisms which have adopted him since he received drafted. Let’s have a look again at how this got here to be.
Growing from College to Chicago
When Vlasic was drafted within the second spherical (forty third total) of the 2019 NHL Draft, a consensus was constructed round him. Most scouts agreed that he had the construct of a contemporary NHL defenseman (6-foot-6, 217 kilos). But the downsides to his recreation on the time have been that he contributed little offense, wanted so as to add extra physicality to his recreation, and strengthen his puck-moving skills.
Back in 2020, whereas at Boston University, Vlasic talked about he was specializing in his shot and pace, and every year introduced one thing new. When he spoke to Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times in 2022, he talked about embracing extra of a bodily function after his coaches informed him to “trust his skating, size, and reach.” Vlasic stated, “Ever since then, I haven’t looked back. I started to play more physically, and with every game that goes by, I gain more and more confidence.”
What stands out is how he turned a picturesque defenseman throughout his junior season. As assistant common supervisor of participant improvement, Mark Eaton stated he matured in his recreation and defined how Vlasic took on a management function throughout his junior 12 months. Vlasic was the alternate captain and performed in all conditions, taking part in 20 minutes an evening. Eaton acknowledged how having that have was worthwhile for his improvement. (from ‘What newly-signed defensive prospect Alex Vlasic can bring to Blackhawks – The Athletic – 03/18/2022).
Related: Blackhawks’ Defenseman Alex Vlasic Ready to Shine
After his junior 12 months, he jumped to the NHL in March 2022, the place he performed 15 video games to get his ft moist. Now, he has taken on an identical function with the Blackhawks as he did with Boston.
Breakout Year With the Blackhawks
After his NHL debut, he spent most of final season with the Rockford IceHogs, the place he was a primary to second-pairing defenseman. He helped them obtain a playoff berth with the identical mantra of taking part in in all conditions, and he appeared in six video games with the Blackhawks final 12 months. Fast ahead to this season with the Blackhawks, he went from being a defenseman with promise to at least one that’s now on everybody’s radar. He leads the protection, being a plus-3. He is second on the staff in ice time behind his d-partner Seth Jones, averaging 21:24 minutes an evening. He can also be third-best within the league amongst NHL defensemen with 41 takeaways; Cale Makar and Jaccob Slavin are numbers one and two, respectively. Pretty good firm!
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Vlasic can also be second on the staff in blocked photographs (88), twelfth in hits (37), and is second-best for the Hawks’ blueliners with 11 factors in 46 video games. Moreover, his takeaway-to-giveaway ratio is 41 to 29, which reveals his reliability on protection. It’s not simple for a rookie to come back in and be a top-defense pairing on a last-place staff that offers up the fourth-most targets per recreation within the NHL (3.5 targets towards). As head coach Luke Richardson said recently, “He does pretty much everything well.”
When Vlasic was drafted, he thought-about himself a shutdown defenseman, however his taking part in time at Boston and his elevated function in Chicago seemingly improved his recreation. He acknowledged, “A year ago, at the start of the year in Rockford, that was my goal [to be a really good shutdown defenseman]. And then I slowly started to be able to do things offensively, and I was like, ‘Hey, maybe I could be a good two-way, guy.’ It’s kind of cool to see the progression from there, mentally, for me. I don’t see myself as just a shutdown guy anymore. That’s definitely my primary strength, and that’s what I’m going to be best at, but I don’t want to limit myself. I want to project myself as high as I can be in the future so I can work toward that goal.” (from ‘Blackhawks’ Alex Vlasic takes an enormous leap forward- only a hop, skip and a leap from house’ – The Athletic – 11/22/2023).
With Vlasic, I discover that he doesn’t play a flashy recreation in any respect. He has a giant presence, however he doesn’t stand out within the methods you’d assume. If he makes errors, they’re not extremely noticeable, however when he makes play, it’s obvious, primarily as a result of his “long reach” that pundits have identified as a power from the start. It appears spectacular when he makes use of his stride and lengthy stick to interrupt up performs and even breakaways due to how briskly it comes collectively. It makes him enjoyable to observe, even once you aren’t instantly on the lookout for him on the ice. He quietly does his job, being a quarterback on the highest power-play unit, penalty kill, and in all conditions. It looks like second nature to him from his faculty days.
From Vlasic’s Critics to Present Success
When speaking about how a lot his recreation has developed, reflecting on what was stated about him earlier than his NHL debut is intriguing. (from ‘What newly-signed defensive prospect Alex Vlasic can carry to Blackhawks – The Athletic – 03/18/2022)
According to The Athletic, NHL scouts have stated, “I don’t think he made much progress from his sophomore to junior seasons. He’s still got a ways to go. His reach is his best asset, and his ability to move pucks is the biggest area of concern. I wouldn’t expect any offense, but if things can come along, he should be able to be a bottom-pair, defense-first guy.”
Related: Q & A with Blackhawks Prospect Alex Vlasic
Scott Wheeler of The Athletic, shared partially, “I do have concerns about some of his softer skills and the sloppiness that they may produce at the NHL level, though. Ultimately, nobody has ever been confused about what he is. He’s a defensive defenseman who plays hard, leads by example, makes the simple play, and will cut his teeth as a bottom-pairing, penalty-killing type if he makes it. I suspect I’m a little lower on his upside than the Blackhawks are, though – where they drafted him and the move to sign him certainly indicate that, at least.”
Now, the quotes on Vlasic’s recreation look a lot completely different as he’s awing his teammates and the Blackhawks’ group.
Seth Jones stated, “You can see the steps that he’s taken. He’s not shy with the puck. He tries different things. He looks guys off – he’s got that ability too. He’s only going to get better. It’s unbelievable.”
Connor Murphy chimed in, “He’s been amazing every game.”
General supervisor Kyle Davidson said, “Alex has been dynamite. He’s stepped up and he’s had a hell of a year. Really happy with his progression.”
Lastly, even coach Richardson compared his skating and energy conservation to 24-year-old Dallas Stars’ defenseman Miro Heiskanen, one of the vital dynamic defensemen within the league and a hopeful Norris Trophy candidate.
Overall, Vlasic’s recreation is like an onion: it has plenty of layers, and he’s taking part in with a lot confidence, a trait he has by no means misplaced since faculty. He might by no means be an offensive wiz like Quinn Hughes, however he’s able to extra, which is thrilling. He has proven crisp, long-range passes this season, has had some breakaways, and a purpose towards the New York Rangers on Feb. 9. He may additionally present extra physicality sooner or later.
He is actually having enjoyable and impressing himself, which he noted. The hometown child from Wilmette, Illinois, taking part in high minutes in an unsung hero function; what’s to not like?
He’s nonetheless younger and has extra to show, however he might be a top-pairing defenseman for the foreseeable future. He will likely be a restricted free agent with arbitration rights on the finish of the season. Assumptions differ on what his contract may seem like, whether or not it’s short-term or long-term. Either method, he’s a lock to get re-signed and is upping his payday with each recreation.
And for the preliminary criticisms? Well, he and the Blackhawks actually have had the final chuckle. His Boston University coach, Albie O’Connell, stated, “The sky is the limit for him. I don’t want to say he is a unicorn, but he is very different than a lot of other guys.”
Pairing that with what Sorensen stated early on about how he can be a stud, the early doubts have been silenced as he will get higher and stronger. Vlasic is way more than only a penalty-killing, defensive defenseman. The Blackhawks have been proper to hearken to the upside, and figuring out what he might be down the road makes their future even brighter.
A stud, certainly.
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