Sacha Boisvert has slipped out of the spotlight in some Blackhawks conversations, but the opening he could fill is obvious. If he keeps trending the right way, he has a chance to matter as soon as October.
The 18th overall pick in 2024 had a rough second season at Boston University. The 6-foot-2, 176-pound forward finished with 17 points in 26 games and even sat out as a healthy scratch in BU’s elimination game after being late to an off-ice workout.
That came on top of multiple other minor infractions. It was a difficult year for Boisvert, but he wasn’t alone - BU as a whole struggled.
That downturn came after a freshman season that looked much more like the player scouts expected. At the University of North Dakota, Boisvert produced 32 points in 37 games and showed the kind of offensive upside that put him on Chicago’s radar in the first place.
He also got a short look with the Blackhawks in April, appearing in seven games at the end of last season. Boisvert scored once and added an assist, and he didn’t look overwhelmed. The main concern then was his lack of physicality.
That part of the story may already be changing. By July’s development camp, Boisvert was noticeably bigger than he had been at the end of last season, when he checked in at 176 pounds. The added size stood out, and 2026-2027 Boisvert looks like a potential machine.
That matters because the Blackhawks have a real need for a player with his blend of shot, size, and skill. The issue with the projected top six is simple: there isn’t a true power forward in the group. The only players in that projected top six who are over six feet are Bertuzzi, at 6-foot-2, and Frondell, at 6-foot-1, and neither is known for a heavily physical style.
Boisvert probably starts this season in the AHL, since it would be his first year going pro. Still, the jump he made in body mass from mid-April to late June suggests the college missteps won’t define what comes next.
If he does crack the roster, the best fit probably isn’t a depth assignment alongside players like Cole Smith and Jordan Greenway. The more logical path would be premium minutes in Rockford until he’s ready.
But if Boisvert earns a top-six role, the Blackhawks could line up with Connor Bedard down the middle, Patrick Kane on the wing, Anton Frondell and Roman Kantserov as skilled two-way threats, Tyler Bertuzzi bringing a hard-nosed scoring touch, and Boisvert supplying the power-forward element the group lacks. That would also leave room for a fast, dangerous third line of Frank Nazar, Oliver Moore, and Nick Lardis.
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