Sacha Boisvert
2023-24 Team: Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL)
Date of Birth: March 17, 2006
Place of Birth: Trois-Rivieres, Quebec, Canada
Ht: 6-foot-2 Wt: 179 pounds
Shoots: Left
Position: Center
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2024 first-year eligible
Rankings
- NHL Central Scouting: 16th (among North American skaters)
- The Hockey Writers (Horn): 22nd
- The Hockey Writers (Baracchini): 25th
- The Hockey Writers (Forbes): 25th
- TSN (Bob McKenzie): 22nd
- TSN (Craig Button): 24th
- FC Hockey: 21st
- Sportsnet (Cosentino): 21st
- Dobber Prospects: 30th
- McKeen’s Hockey: 24th
- SMAHT Scouting: 23rd
As much as the 2024 NHL Draft is the year of defensemen, there are still quite a few centers that could be had in the first round that will eventually turn into impact players down the road. Leading the way are obviously Macklin Celebrini and Cayden Lindstrom, but as the season went on, Sascha Boisvert started to raise his stock as one of the top options of this draft class. He will likely be selected by a team that made it deep into the playoffs, and whoever adds him to their prospect pool will be getting a player that oozes hockey IQ, work ethic and maturity.
Related: THW’s 2024 NHL Draft Guide
Playing in his second season with the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the United States Hockey League (USHL), Boisvert more than doubled his goal output from 17 to 36 and calmly navigated his draft year as a potential first or second-round pick with poise, garnering praise from his head coach Parker Burgess.
“We all know the player he is and as much as he takes pride and works on his on-ice craft, I think he understands how important it is to manage the noise and potential distractions away from the rink too. Because that noise can trickle into your game and impact how you play, especially with the expectations and hype he has around him. But he’s handled everything with a tremendous amount of maturity and composure that many other 17-year-olds couldn’t.”
That type of maturity will do Boisvert well in the future as he moves his way through the NCAA circuit with North Dakota and eventually the NHL.
As mentioned, Boisvert’s work ethic and hockey IQ are also highlights of his game along with a strong shot, and of course, his size at 6-foot-2. He is also developing into a very versatile player, playing on both special teams and doing whatever is needed to help his team win games. Wearing an “A” this season for the Lumberjacks, his leadership qualities are also shining through and have made an impact on his teammates.
“Sacha is just a super intense and competitive kid and he never takes a shift off,” added Muskegon teammate and fellow UND commit Cody Croal. “This year he’s doing more defensively for us, he’s using his body more and he’s not afraid to put it on the line, and he’s a leader too. So he’s grown a lot this season and it’s been cool to see him get recognized for it.”
Boisvert’s biggest weaknesses are his skating and defensive game – two things that can certainly improve with coaching at the next level of his development. All in all, he should become a very effective middle to top-six center capable of matching up against the top talent in the NHL.
Other THW Draft Profiles
Sacha Boisvert – NHL Draft Projection
Boisvert is slated to be drafted in the latter half of the first round with most outlets projecting him to go between 21st and 30th overall. However, his leadership, work ethic and maturity could garner some attention at the interview stage of the Scouting Combine, boosting his draft stock to the top 20 instead. Those intangibles are becoming more and more important to general managers, so I wouldn’t be surprised if he impressed someone enough to be selected higher than originally thought.
Quotables
“I think I’m an all-around player and I’m willing to do whatever my team needs me to do. I can bring skill, I can bring energy and I just want to help us win.” – Sacha Boisvert
“Boisvert is quite the case study. There’s little denying how easy it is to see Boisvert play an NHL role. He’s got the size, IQ and shot to be an NHL center to some capacity. There are amazing moments of skill too, Boisvert loves to abuse his long reach and will make nice slip passes, or booming cuts to get his shot off. Those moments are great and if they’re enough to convince one of Boisvert’s upside, that’d be fair. There are just as many moments where Boisvert can leave you wanting.” – David Saad, Dobber Prospects
“I don’t think there are very many guys who are as committed to the game as much as he is…His work ethic away from the rink is bar none one of the best I’ve ever been around. And I’ve been around a lot of high-end kids and really good players but I think that’s really what separates him from the pack. At the end of the day, you can be a really good player but he wants to be an exceptional player. You look at the Kobe Bryants, and the Sidney Crosbys, and the Connor McDavids and what they do away from it, (Boisvert) wants to play in the NHL and he has put himself in a real good position.” – Jim McGroarty, Lumberjacks GM (from ‘How boxing helped turn Sacha Boisvert into a top 2024 NHL Draft prospect’, Scott Wheeler – The Athletic, 5/24/24)
Strengths
- Size
- Shot
- Puck handling
- Work ethic
- Maturity
- Leadership
- Hockey IQ
Under Construction (Improvements to Make)
- Skating
- Defensive game
- Faceoffs
NHL Potential
With comparisons to Evgeni Malkin and Anze Kopitar, Boisvert has the potential to become something very special in the NHL. While he likely won’t hit the heights those two have, he does have the skillset to be an elite two-way pivot that is relied on in all situations. I see his ceiling as a very good second-line center, bordering on elite, and his floor as a matchup center capable of jumping into the top-six in a pinch. In both instances, he will be playing on the power play and penalty kill.
Risk-Reward Analysis
Risk – 2/5, Reward – 5/5
Fantasy Hockey Potential
Offence – 8/10, Defence – 7/10
Awards/Achievements
- Played in the All-American Prospects Game
Interviews/Profile Links
Sacha Boisvert Statistics
Videos
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