If Don Sweeney had a type, Boisvert hits almost all the marks while also adding a boatload of goals onto it.
Analysis
I promise I’m not trying to be snarky when I say Sacha Boisvert fits the Don Sweeney ouvre. I’ve already made a joke about this weird quirk of his years ago.
But Sacha Boisvert is absolutely is the kind of dude Don Sweeney drafts at least once per draft: a player from the USHL who is either committed to an NCAA school in the Tri-State area or the Midwest. ECAC and NCHC are plus. Boisvert hits all the marks in that regard: he’s over 6-foot, he’s a Muskegon Lumberjack, and he’s going to the University of North Dakota in the fall. If you wanted to be overly cynical about how the B’s scouts hand over their work…this is the one to be about.
The good news is, if they do end up getting Boisvert…he’s still pretty good.
The Quebec-born center is an offensive force multiplier; his skating is strong like most players in this draft (seriously, I’ve seen like maybe two or three players total who’ve been dinged for it and they have skills that nearly counteract it), but his toolset in the offense-side of the game is what makes him truly dangerous. His hand-eye is excellent; allowing him to deliver silky smooth passes with ease; be they in-tight with a goalie, off the wall, or even odd-angle drop passes. Combining that with his solid speed, he’s made a fool out of plenty of players through the use of a quick toe drag and his stickhandling.
But don’t just assume he’s all passing and assists, although some of his better highlights feature them; Boisvert is a dangerous goalscorer. That hand-eye and stick skill translates to a powerful shot that he can blast out from just about anywhere, or put a goalie in a REAL tight bind in-tight for a strong shot.
But, if there’s anything that Boisvert needs to work on, it is his defense. Boisvert tries hard in the defensive zone, he’s willing to put in the effort in the corners and is willing to throw a hit (hell he’s willing to throw down if push comes to shove), but his ability to read an offense coming at him is still pretty raw, and he can get caught flat-footed at inopportune times while on the backcheck, or caught puckwatching. This is pretty normal for prospects at this level, and they usually develop these skills and the timing necessary to shut lanes down during their stay in college, but it will require teams to be patient with him.
Further, is the application of his physicality. He’s a perfectly physical guy, don’t get me wrong! He knows he’s 6’2 and is willing to use that, but in a lot of board battles he prefers to hunt for puck possession rather than separate players with hits, and I think that’s attributed to the divide in how scouts view his compete level. He is perfectly competitive; he’s just not slamming dudes around in a mad scramble for the puck, and as such it can look like he’s just floating in space when he’s just trying to find an opening to attack the puck itself rather than the carrier.
As one final aside, Boisvert isn’t exactly perfect at the faceoff dot; hovering more on the 49% side of 50% than preferred. He’s not awful, and this is something that further development tends to figure out, but it’s a work in progress.
Boisvert as a prospect is a little frustrating; he’s got the base level tools to be something impressive, but those little details may end up catching him if he can’t adjust them while he’s in UND. Given UND’s perennial open invite to the NCAA Tournament, I don’t see how he won’t find these skills if he wants to keep his ice time; it’s just a matter of being patient with him.
If you give him the time to blossom, he’s got the makings of an impressive top 6 player. You just have to give him that time regardless.
Rankings
- 21st by ELITEPROSPECTS.COM
- 22nd by TSN’s Bob McKenzie
- 25th by TSN’s Craig Button
- 32nd by THN’s Tony Ferrari
- 28th by McKeen’s Hockey
- 22nd by FloHockey
- 26th by FC Hockey
- 25th by Daily Faceoff
- 16th by NHL Central Scouting among North Americans
- 18th by DraftPro Hockey
- 21st by Sportsnet’s Cosentino
- 25th by DobberProspects
- 33th by Smaht Scouting