NHL Draft: Blackhawks Draft Shutdown Defenseman Alex Vlasic

The 2nd day of the 2019 NHL Draft has been much more active with multiple trades. The Blackhawks stood their ground and still got their guy, defenseman Alex Vlasic, in the 2nd round.

With the 43rd overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, the Blackhawks selected defenseman Alex Vlasic. Vlasic is actually a Wilmette, Illinois native and regarded as shutdown defenseman with some offensive upside.

He also comes from a strong pedigree, as his cousin is San Jose Sharks’ defenseman, Marc-Edouard Vlasic.

Alex Vlasic is a big bodied defenseman who stands at 6’6″ 198 lbs. He said to be solid skater with high hockey IQ and good vision. This pick checks off some boxes for the Blackhawks, as they made defense a priority this offseason.

Vlasic fits the long term plans as a left-handed defensive-minded defenseman, who will complement the plethora of right-handed offensive-minded defensemen in the Blackhawks’ system.

The Blackhawks grab Alex Vlasic, 6-foot-6 defenseman who I had at No. 28 on my board. I think the upside is pretty enormous. Offensive side needs work, but I really like the way he plays. Great defender, good first pass and solid mobility at his size.
— Chris Peters (@chrismpeters) June 22, 2019

Vlasic projects to be a solid Top 4 defenseman in the future. He had a good showing during the 2018-19 season with the USNTDP team. In 27 games of junior hockey, Vlasic produced 15 points (2G, 13A) with a 7 ± rating. In 61 games with the U.S. National U18 team, Vlasic saw a slight bump in production with 27 points (4G, 23A) in 61 games.

Let’s be honest, Vlasic wasn’t drafted for his offense. Stan Bowman and the Blackhawks had the future in mind with this pick. He complements some of the offensive-minded defensemen prospects in the Blackhawks’ system, such as Adam Boqvist, Chad Krys, and more. Most of their defensive prospects are also right handed.

Like most of the Blackhawks’ defensemen prospects, we likely won’t see him in a Blackhawks sweater next season as he could use a bit more seasoning. Vlasic is committed to Boston University in 2019-20.

Alex Vlasic says he thinks he'll spend two years at BU. pic.twitter.com/oWcxoOZsWl
— Mark Lazerus (@MarkLazerus) June 22, 2019

Overall, I really like the pick and it helps solidify the Blackhawks’ defensive core of the future. Here are some clips of what Alex Vlasic has to offer. I’m pretty excited that we have snipes and outlet passes like these to look forward to in a couple of years.

.@NHLBlackhawks fans, you're getting a good one!
Check out some highlights of your newest defenseman!#NHLDraft | #NTDP pic.twitter.com/ZJrxJqxtAp
— USA Hockey’s NTDP (@USAHockeyNTDP) June 22, 2019

TEAM USA GOAL! Alex Vlasic buries a wrist shot from the point off a feed from Boldy. Team USA now leads @NDHockey 4-1 with under 8 minutes to play. #USAvsND #NTDP pic.twitter.com/tG8Z0mdNdk
— USA Hockey’s NTDP (@USAHockeyNTDP) October 7, 2018

A pretty stretch pass from Alex Vlasic and that springs Matt Beniers. What a burst from the speedy Beniers and a nice finish to make it 1-0 Team USA. #U18Worlds #NTDP pic.twitter.com/NQCtpGIrpc
— Stars n’ Stripes Hockey (@StarsStripesHKY) April 25, 2019

Draft Grade: B+

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