Boisvert embracing comparison to former Blackhawks captain Toews

CHICAGO -- Sacha Boisvert said he is fine with the comparison.

The 18-year-old center, who the Chicago Blackhawks selected with the No. 18 pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, is headed to the University of North Dakota in the fall. Boisvert has good size (6-foot-2, 176 pounds) and is known for a strong 200-foot game.

Kind of like Jonathan Toews, selected by the Blackhawks with the No. 3 pick in the 2006 NHL Draft who played two seasons at North Dakota, was Chicago's captain from 2008-23 and helped win the Stanley Cup in 2010, 2013 and 2015.

"I think you've got to take it. Maybe learn from his game too," Boisvert said of the comparison. "You learn from a lot of people's games and just try to bring to your game from their game and try to get better with that."

Whether he's the next Toews for the Blackhawks remains to be seen, but Chicago certainly likes what Boisvert has to offer. He had 68 points (36 goals, 32 assists) in 61 regular-season games and three assists in eight playoff games for Muskegon of the United States Hockey League last season.

His 36 goals were the most by a North Dakota-bound player from the USHL since Jason Gregoire had 37 with Lincoln in 2007-08.

The Blackhawks had seen a lot of Boisvert the past two seasons at Muskegon because it's in the same division in the USHL as Chicago.

"Long body, ultra-competitive," Blackhawks director of amateur scouting Mike Doneghey said. "He boxes in the summer. His father owns a gym. He plays on the edge, but he also had 36 goals in that league. If you look back at [Winnipeg Jets forward] Kyle Connor and [Vancouver Canucks forward] Brock Boeser and those guys, those are similar numbers to what he had. He's got size down the middle, he can skate, he's good on face-offs and he's another fantastic kid."

Blackhawks coach Luke Richardson said he hasn't seen Boisvert play much but likes what he's heard from the scouts.

"He's a big center that can score goals around the net. I guess he's tough as nails," Richardson said.

"If you can compare guys that are big in front of the net in his prime, [former NHL forwards] Wayne Simmonds and going back even farther Cam Neely, guys that are big and tough and have a scoring touch around the net, it's hard to find those guys. We’re pretty excited."

Boisvert is ready for the next chapter, which is improving his game at North Dakota in the hopes that someday he can be a big part of the Blackhawks.

"There [are] a lot of areas I want to improve on," he said. "Next year is a big step to college and then I really want to improve my skating, just to get lower and more flexible, and see myself get more mature and stronger in general."