No player gained more respect and created more optimism within the Blackhawks dressing room this season than defenseman Alex Vlasic.
Connor Bedard’s arrival may have altered the Blackhawks’ future, but he was exactly what they expected. He lived up to the hype. On the other hand, as Vlasic entered his first full NHL season, no one was sure what to expect.
A season later, the 22-year-old Vlasic opened their eyes with his ability to extinguish opponents’ plays with his length, positioning and IQ. He did it against everyone, too. He became Blackhawks coach Luke Richardson’s most trusted defenseman and matched up against the top lines at the highest rate.
In a recent poll, Blackhawks teammates voted Vlasic as one of the team’s top players who doesn’t receive enough credit, gushing about his potential, even as he received more league-wide respect.
The Blackhawks locked up that potential on Wednesday, as the team and Vlasic agreed to a six-year contract extension with a $4.6 million cap hit, a league source said. Vlasic’s contract will expire after the 2029-30 season.
Vlasic, who grew up in the Chicago suburb of Wilmette, Ill., signed the first long-term contract of Kyle Davidson’s tenure as Blackhawks general manager, becoming the first young player to be secured in Davidson’s rebuild puzzle.
Vlasic said a long-term extension with his hometown team is a dream come true.
“I would love to be here as long as possible,” Vlasic said after the season. “It’s amazing being able to play for my hometown team, the same city I grew up in, so I’m not really looking to go anywhere else. So yeah, I want to be here as long as possible, and (Davidson) knows that.”
Vlasic’s extension will also give him peace of mind as he travels to Czechia to play for Team USA in the World Championships next month. Without a contract, he had to look into an insurance policy in case he was injured while playing for his country.
Vlasic is excited to represent the U.S. again and put himself in the conversation for upcoming international events. The tournament is also an opportunity for him and fellow defenseman Seth Jones, who will also be playing for the U.S., to continue to build on their chemistry as the Blackhawks’ No. 1 pairing.
Jones was among those blown away by Vlasic’s season. Jones compared his experience playing with a young Zach Werenski on the Columbus Blue Jackets with playing with Vlasic now.
“Vlassy, playing with him all year, tremendous steps,” Jones said after the season. “I played with Werenski when he was 21, and they’re different players, but you see the same stuff that you’re seeing there — I am personally. Vlassy is going to be a heck of a defenseman, and I had a lot of fun playing with him this year.”
Nick Foligno, another Blackhawks team leader, had similar praise for Vlasic.
“I know we call it the ‘Connor Bedard Era,’ but I also call it the start of the ‘Alex Vlasic Era,’ too, and what he’s done for our team already, and (Kevin) Korchinski,” Foligno said after the season.
Vlasic’s analytics put him in an elite defenseman category this season. Based on Evolving Hockey’s model, Vlasic was first among all defensemen in overall defensive goals above replacement and second in even-strength defense. Vlasic also finished atop The Athletic’s net rating model among all Blackhawks players.
“It was incredible from day one what he accomplished this year,” Richardson said of Vlasic after the season. “Being in a top pairing role with Seth, I think they really complement each other well. And with their range and with their reach, I think they really defended well. But both of them, at times, can get up the ice and add into the offense.”
Richardson is hopeful Vlasic can add more offense in the future, too. He had two goals and 14 assists in 76 games this season. He had a handful of breakaways that he couldn’t convert.
“I know Vlassy was a little frustrated he didn’t get more finish on his offense, but that’ll come,” Richardson said. “I thought he started shooting the puck better at the end of the year and he’s going to get one of those shorthanded breakaways one of these times. But with the composure that he played with and just the skating ability, laterally, he just stole pucks all over the place and turned them into line rushes for. It was incredible to see. And he’s just 22. Right now he’s going to start to fill out because he’s so long and rangy. If he keeps that skating and lateral skating ability and mobility and puts on another 10, 15 pounds of solid muscle and strength, he’s going to be a hard man to play against, for sure.”
And now, Vlasic is ensured he’ll do that with the Blackhawks.
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(Photo: Sergei Belski / USA Today)
Daniel Miller is a sports fanatic who lives and breathes athletics. His coverage spans from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis for sports enthusiasts.
