It has been a busy few days for some of Chicago’s first-round picks. Over the weekend, the Blackhawks signed defenseman Sam Rinzel (a 2022 first-round pick) center Oliver Moore (a 2023 first-rounder) to entry-level contracts and gave them their NHL debuts on Sunday. One of their first-round picks from 2024 will have a new team as well, just not at the professional level.
Scott Powers of The Athletic reports (Twitter link) that center Sacha Boisvert has entered the NCAA transfer portal. After spending his freshman year at the University of North Dakota, he’ll be on the lookout for a new school to play for next season.
Boisvert was the 18th-overall selection last June following a solid second year with USHL Muskegon. The 19-year-old recorded 36 goals and 32 assists in 61 games with the Lumberjacks last season which had him ranked in the 20s by most scouting services. Clearly, Chicago felt a little stronger about his upside, selecting him with one of the top post-lottery picks.
On the surface, Boisvert’s decision to play elsewhere is a bit surprising. He had a solid freshman year for the Fighting Hawks, tallying 18 goals and 14 assists in 37 games. His 32 points led the team which is particularly notable among a group of skaters that featured 14 NHL draft picks. Already getting a prominent role, he’ll look to find a better fit somewhere else in the coming weeks.
When he was drafted, Boisvert was viewed as a bit of a project selection who would need several years of college hockey before being ready to turn pro. This news doesn’t accelerate that timeline, instead likely cementing it. But after a strong first season of college, Boisvert seems to be on the right track development-wise, even if he’s setting out to chart a new path.