Prospect Info: Alex Vlasic, Defence, USNTDP, 43rd overall (2019)

[Beukeboom Fan]

Why trade an actual 30 goal scorer for a "why cant" player? And don't give me that tank crap. Hagel is 25 and fits the current Hawks timeline perfectly and would be the perfect linemate for the Hawks generational talent.


And scored 30 goals last year. Let's not over look that part. What has Oliver Moore done in the NHL? Nothing? While there's a generational talent wasting a year of his elc waiting for players who may or may not be good enough to play with him?

Thank God Kelly recognized Vlasic was a potential top pairing defenseman.

Don't know why I bother - but I'll try. Last year - what was the best "line slot" to be in? Was there a better position than playing with Kucherov & Point? And I love Hagel - but to quote his production like that's "replicable" on the current Hawks is just ludicrious IMO.

IMO, it's 100% certain that the Hawks don't have Bedard if they had Hagel and Debrincat last year. Making it out that there was a legit option to have those guys on the roster, AND still getting Bedard is just building a terrible strawman argument.

 

[Chelios]

I get the feeling that I am missing some comments here because of my ignore list haha. Which I am OK with.

 

[Mrfenn92]

Why trade an actual 30 goal scorer for a "why cant" player? And don't give me that tank crap. Hagel is 25 and fits the current Hawks timeline perfectly and would be the perfect linemate for the Hawks generational talent.


And scored 30 goals last year. Let's not over look that part. What has Oliver Moore done in the NHL? Nothing? While there's a generational talent wasting a year of his elc waiting for players who may or may not be good enough to play with him?

Thank God Kelly recognized Vlasic was a potential top pairing defenseman.

So you’re just typing nonsense to type nonsense. Got ya.

 

[Castle8130]

Huge fan of this kid. He has a very bright NHL future. Let hope we can hit on a few more players like him in upcoming drafts

 

[Cubs2024wildcard]

Don't know why I bother - but I'll try. Last year - what was the best "line slot" to be in? Was there a better position than playing with Kucherov & Point?

For the Hawks? Playing on bedards wing.

Didn't he score 20 on a horrible Hawks team? It's not like he was a passenger on the Bolts line or anything....

And I love Hagel - but to quote his production like that's "replicable" on the current Hawks is just ludicrious IMO.

Where did I say it was?

IMO, it's 100% certain that the Hawks don't have Bedard if they had Hagel and Debrincat last year.

IMO I'm 100% certain they still win the lottery with both on the roster.

I'm also 100% certain this team is better off now and in the foreseeable future with Hagel and Cat instead of the lottery tickets they gathered for them.

 

[CallMeShaft]

Great players are great players regardless of age.

Oh shit, really? Good thing Gretzky is a free agent then......

 

[Beukeboom Fan]

For the Hawks? Playing on bedards wing.

Didn't he score 20 on a horrible Hawks team? It's not like he was a passenger on the Bolts line or anything....


Where did I say it was?

IMO I'm 100% certain they still win the lottery with both on the roster.

I'm also 100% certain this team is better off now and in the foreseeable future with Hagel and Cat instead of the lottery tickets they gathered for them.

For the bolded, your post specifically mentioned that Hagel got 30 last year, and likely 40 this year. Why bring those numbers up if you're suggesting he should still be on the Hawks without those 2 future likely HOF'ers as linemates? He still be a quality player probably scoring 25g & 30a.

You also completely fail to mention that both BH & AD would be UFA's prior to the Hawks being good. Maybe they could keep them, or maybe they bolt. I don't think you can assume that they sign just because you want them to stay. Look where that got OTT with AD.

So the Hawks last year with Hagel and Debrincat don't get any additional points? Because even if they get just 1 more point - they've got the tie-breaker and moving past the Sharks. The Sharks would have Bedard and the Hawks would have Will Smith or someone else at 4OA.

 

[Blackhawkswincup]

The kid has turned into a gem and has already established himself as a legit young top 4 dman

Korchinski looks promising.

Hopefully a few more of our kids are hits and we can have a group on blueline that we can watch play together for a decade plus.

 

[hawksfan50]

Vkasuc projects to +33 for 82GP plus he has steadied $9.5 who currently projects to ONLY -14 forv82 GP which woukd be by far his best season defensively with Chicago ..and since Vlasic keeps adding positives $9.5 could maybe get that -14 protection down to close to zero ..

Thus Vlasic is performing a miracle on a very bad team. Imagine if we had 3 orc4 productive lines of offense..

My piintbis Vlasic has stabilized 1 defebsivevoairibg ...He has stabilized $9.5 by helping to cover tge mistakes $9.5 does make And even when Vkasic makes the old mistake he seems to becabkecto recover so that it does little damage.

He also clears picks better tgan any dman we have.
He actualky makes crisp passes..

He will never becN offensive force himself...but he seems to be on shift when the Hawks do score (which given the lack of offensive consistent talent on this team is not thatvoften)...

So at least we have 1 competent hockey pkayer from our yutes in place.

I woukdvlijectosee Crevier more and next season maybe Taige Harding...With 3 big skyscrapers back theirxwe shoukd be able to block the passing kanes with thebling reaches and also finish checks to defend the crease Hopefully $9.5 improves to a positive +/- And add in EdM giving us a well sized d-coros needing only that 1 special makarvor Quinn Hughes type smaller pmd to run the whole show.. And if course Connor Barfy will be outta there.. Because he has no iffebsens and orojectscto career worst -51 given his terrible play this season.

Still not sold on Korchinski ...I do not think he isctge Po qb we need ...Nor do I see enough grit in his game or defensive awareness..If he dies not improve in either offensive impact or defensively or hopefully in both arenas,then let him compete with others who can ..
We cannotvtolerate dmen in the -39s or worse.

Either they must be around Zero or better into tgevoisitivrs or they shoukd not be in thecshowcwith us.

KK unfortunately must learn on the job in the NHL...that is tough on any young dman tight from juniors....Next season if hecdoes nitvinorivecdefebsiveky I can see them sending him down to Rockford forvmirecsrasoning.

He should get bettercwith experience...but I do not knowvifvtge fans can take another year of suchboir ddfensivebokay from him. They could not send him to the AHL..so we must put up with his kpaonfil learning curve.

Butvtge facts are tge facts...hevhas struggled defensively and has failed to turn the Pp into effectiveness..You cannot do both roles in a failing manner and so unless he shows he has improved by next season,he coukd becsent down to Rockford next sesson..If we can find dmen to at least perform near zero,they should be playing over Kk...
Anybody we draft forctge D will not be ready for at least 2 seasons at brst...

RINZEL needs at least 1-2seasons more in school at Minnesota..

But whether hev is the Pp qb solution is debatable.

Sov still think wexwill need to draft a RD ppqb with eklte a offensive ability...

Maybe Hawks can trade up with our TB pick and 2nd rounders to get Parekh IF we took Celebrini or LIndstrom witvbourc1st overall pick.

 

[TheDoorDoctor]

What I really like about Vlasic is his calmness during the outlet pass.. he seems to always find a passing partner and not stress when under pressure.

Hes clearly been working on his puck management skills… Murphy could use some of that practice D:

 

[Beukeboom Fan]

What I really like about Vlasic is his calmness during the outlet pass.. he seems to always find a passing partner and not stress when under pressure.

Hes clearly been working on his puck management skills… Murphy could use some of that practice D:

I also like he's aggressive offensively at the right times. Just from memory, there are at least 2-3 times this year where he used his long reach to bat the puck down while the other team was changing, and then was comfortable transitioning the puck and carrying into the offensive zone for a good scoring chance. I wasn't expecting that from a guy who I thought of as a SAH type of player.

 

[MTU34]

I wasn’t super high on Vlasic in the past but I think we’ve at a minimum found a legit #3 capable of anchoring a matchup pairing. He’s been so good

 

[ClydeLee]

Don't look at the prospect ranking polls

 

[Kevin Musto]

Don't look at the prospect ranking polls

You mean when I said I wouldn't rank Vlasic in the top 20?

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

Anyone who honestly expected Vlasic to turn into this guy this year is a liar.

 

[Malaka]

Anyone who honestly expected Vlasic to turn into this guy this year is a liar.

I’ve always believed.

I also suffer heavily from cognitive bias as well as positive/grandiose delusions(pronoia), and thought rundblad/pokka/boqvist would all be elite one day as any Chicago superfan often does

 

[giza]

If you remember his very first game when he had deer in the headlights, it's incredible how far he has come, but he's always been a good skater and he's always had size. Sign him for 5 years now, Kyle!

 

[Styles]

If you remember his very first game when he had deer in the headlights, it's incredible how far he has come, but he's always been a good skater and he's always had size. Sign him for 5 years now, Kyle!

I bet his camp points towards the Mattias Samuelsson contract. 4.285M x 7. Maybe comes in a little under at 3.6M to 4M. Seems like a pretty good risk to take to get him locked up at a lower cap hit long term.

 

[dj Mahoney]

A lot to like about Vlasic's game but he needs to become much more assertive , should come with experience .

 

[BobbyJet]

Anyone who honestly expected Vlasic to turn into this guy this year is a liar.

I hadn't seen Vlasic play before he became a regular Blackhawks Dman. In his early days in Chicago the criticism continued right where it was left off prior to coming here .... mainly that he was too lazy, he was soft, didn't use his size well, he was a pylon etc... I didn't see it - in fact I mentioned immediately that he looked quite effective as a PKer with great range and a good stick. Since then, the criticism has stopped and he has made tremendous strides in his game. To me he is the surprise of the 2023-24 campaign and I agree that he needs to be inked ASAP.

 

[TLEH]

He was big and soft. He looked like Crevier looked. The Vlasic now is looking like a massive core piece.

 

[Kevin Musto]

He was big and soft. He looked like Crevier looked. The Vlasic now is looking like a massive core piece.

It's a weird jump. He did not look like this in Rockford last year.

 

[clydesdale line]

He was big and soft. He looked like Crevier looked. The Vlasic now is looking like a massive core piece.

I still wouldn't classify him as physical but he is much more assertive. It is great to see his development this year.

 

[Mrfenn92]

It's a weird jump. He did not look like this in Rockford last year.

He had a really good year in Rockford last season.

 

[Esq]

A lot to like about Vlasic's game but he needs to become much more assertive , should come with experience .

It's easier to be assertive when you have a reliable partner. He hasn't had one since Jones got hurt. Totally changes your risk tolerance when that's gone.