Blackhawks Select Alex Vlasic
With the 43rd overall pick in the second round of the 2019 NHL Draft, the Chicago Blackhawks selected defenseman Alex Vlasic.
Alex Vlasic
6-6, 198
DOB: 06/05/2001
Pre-Draft Rankings:
Ranked #24 by THE ATHLETIC
Ranked #37 by HOCKEYPROSPECT.COM
Ranked #34 by FUTURE CONSIDERATIONS
Ranked #43 by ISS HOCKEY
Ranked #54 by MCKEEN’S HOCKEY
Ranked #38 by NHL CENTRAL SCOUTING (NA Skaters)
Ranked #29 by TSN/McKenzie
At pick #43, this is a good selection. Grew up in Wilmette, played with the Mission. He’s 6’6″….big guy but needs to work on his skating and bringing his A game every game. A little work and he can be a solid 3rd liner and even a 2nd liner if he blossoms. His cousin is the Vlasic everyone knows on San Jose and one heck of a player.
For sale – late pick OBO:
Forsling, Dahlstrom, KK, Gilbert, Krys, Hillman, Carlsson, Tuulola.
From Pronman who had him going late 1st:
Alex Vlasic, D, USNTDP-USHL
June 5, 2001 | 6-foot-6 | 198 pounds
Vlasic entered the NTDP with a lot of hype. He’s a unique player in that he’s 6-foot-6 and has offensive potential, which makes him very intriguing. I like his hockey sense. There are times I even really like it. He understands how to attack, how to move pucks, when to jump into lanes and how to use his long wingspan to break up plays. I’ve seen several occasions where he does a give-and-go off the blueline with his D partner where he pinches after his pass and receives it for a scoring chance. You don’t often see a big man make that play or make a high-end pass through a seam. That is Vlasic at his best, creative puck-mover with solid defense who uses his size to lean on his checks. However, that player doesn’t always show up. Vlasic will have moments where he’s a turnover machine and shows underwhelming puck skills under pressure. He skates quite well for a big man, but there are moments where his game lacks pace. Some evaluators not only believe in him as an NHLer but believe he could be an impact NHLer. Others see the warts and are scared off. I’ve seen the potential, but there’s a ways to go for him before he’s there.
USNTDP U18 coach John Wroblewski on Vlasic: “He’s a massive individual with an unbelievable defensive stick to break up plays. He’s got a physical edge. He can play an offensive style and takes chances. For a big man, his skating is off the charts good; it’s very fluid.”
Maybe a shutdow guy in few years.
With the Four Horsemen coming and this guy and whoever else. We are loading up and should have a very deep group. I mean a really good 3rd pair deep.
Balance like we havnt had before except for Leads and Rozy deep. Every yr we were conference finals 5 times in 7 yrs we wernt that deep on D. Were looking at deing that kind of deep quality in 2 yrs.
Stud defender. Great pick. Sure Fire NHLER.
Like this pick. Watched highlights of him breaking up plays in the D zone. RFD in two years. Maybe the Hawks in three.
Size! Something the Hawks are lacking and something they seem to have avoided in recent picks. This is a good one. He will need time but a step in a positive direction.
The Hawks are very pleased with the development of Dennis Gilbert as well as a left defenseman who can hit people and move the puck as well. So going forward, the Hawks have mobile defensemen in Beaudin and Krys on the left side. Carlsson who is a somewhat of a hybrid of both plus Gilbert and Vlasic.
Suddenly the future on left defense looks pretty bright.