Sacha Boisvert has arrived at Blackhawks prospect showcase with a different kind of edge.
The 20-year-old forward, taken 18th overall and already carrying seven NHL games from his time at Boston University, spent his summer trying to turn that brief taste of the league into something bigger. He’s in the mix for a spot with the Chicago Blackhawks out of camp, and the early signs suggest the work he put in did exactly what he wanted it to do.
Rockford IceHogs head coach Jared Nightingale said Boisvert added muscle over the summer, and Boisvert described the offseason as a full reset built around the basics. That work, he said, fed his confidence on and off the ice. During his Sept. 13 media availability, he explained it this way:
"Kind of going back to basics... confidence, I think, for me, is just getting a lot of reps and knowing that I can do things. Like I said, you need confidence in the gym, and on the ice, I think in the summer, the most for me.
Like, I know that I show up here (and) I'm ready. I did the work I needed to do.
I knew I did the work, so knowing that gives me a lot of confidence coming here; my goal is to work harder than everyone else in the summer. So just showing up here and knowing that, hopefully I put (in) more work than other people, kind of gives me confidence to get on the ice and doing what I know I can do."
Nightingale sees that confidence as the natural result of preparation. He said Boisvert has invested a lot, pointed to the NHL experience he’s already banked, and described him as a prospect who brings more than one dimension.
"He should have confidence. I think confidence comes with preparation.
He's invested a lot. A lot of these kids have, but especially Boisvert, getting a taste of the NHL.
He's a great prospect, but he's kind of an all-around player. Obviously, I think he has a toughness side to him, and he's talented.
But, yeah, for sure, he should be confident. He's put in a lot of work, and this is why the guys train: to hit the ground running at training camp."
That confidence matters because Boisvert is trying to show there’s more to his game than the role he filled with the Blackhawks. He spent most of his NHL action in a fourth-line spot, but in the prospect showcase he’s skating on the top line with A.J.
Spellacy and Ryan Roobroeck. That setup gives him a chance to flash the offensive side he wants to put on display.
Boisvert made that point clearly when asked what part of his game he wants to emphasize most:
"I think (offensively). I know I can be really a good offensive player.
I've shown that at the NHL level that I got into a fight. I played fourth-line minutes.
I played deeper in the lineup- which was fine, you know. I know I can do that.
Like, I played there. I was there with all those guys, and I can do it.
But now it's just prove that I can be an offensive threat, as well. Whether it's on the power play, five-on-five, or whatever.
I know I got the skill set to do it, and I just want everyone else to know I can do it. So it's my time to just go out there and prove it."
Blackhawks head coach Jeff Blashill said last season that Boisvert had a good shot, which lines up with the offensive upside the team sees in him.
Where he opens the season is still to be determined. Boisvert could start with the IceHogs or the Blackhawks, and that decision hasn’t been settled yet. But his comments at development camp in July already showed how much that short NHL stint changed the way he thinks about his game.
That same feeling carries into this showcase. Boisvert has looked sharp in practices, skating well and showing a strong shot. He’s coming in with confidence, and he’s making sure everyone notices it.
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