Alex Vlasic, one of three rookie defensemen to start the 2023-24 season with the Chicago Blackhawks, hasn't played anything like a typical first-year NHL blueliner. Coach Luke Richardson credited the 6-foot-6, 22-year-old with having a "stabilizing presence" that supported the other D-Man Vlasic was paired with, usually veteran Seth Jones or Connor Murphy. Vlasic (72, left) celebrates with MacKenzie Entwistle after Entwistle scored in Toronto. [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjAxNTkwNDIwMDI5ODQzMDMx/usatsi_21664091_168401008_lowres.jpg] Vlasic (72, left) celebrates with MacKenzie Entwistle after Entwistle scored in Toronto. Quite a compliment coming from Richardson, himself an NHL defenseman for 21 seasons. The stats back it up. Entering Thursday's game at Tampa Bay, Vlasic was a team-leading plus-5 on an inconsistent 4-7-0 squad that had scored 26 goals while allowing 38. CONCUSSION SCARE: OVER. So the Blackhawks held their breath after Vlasic was slammed on a hard shoulder-to-shoulder hit by the Golden Knights Brett Howden in an Oct. 27 game in Vegas and knocked into concussion protocol. Exhale. Vlasic says he's fine after missing only about a week while clearing the protocol. He returned on Sunday in a 4-2 loss to New Jersey, and was a plus-1 while logging 17:47 of ice time. Now the native of Wilmette, Illinois, a suburb on Chicago's North Shore, is ready to hit the road to Florida. His mother is traveling with the club as the Blackhawks embark on their "moms' trip." "I feel great," Vlasic said on Wednesday after practice. "It's definitely nice to be symptom-free and back to kind of feeling like myself... It's been a great year so far." See the following video: Impressive rookie Chicago defenseman Alex Vlasic discusses his return from concussion protocol and strong start to the season. COUSIN OF MARC-ÉDOUARD VLASIC Vlasic wasn't aware of Richardson's praise of his steady play, but was delighted to learn about it. The rookie said he's modelled his game after his cousin, Marc-Édouard Vlasic, the 36-year-old stay-at-home D-man who's now in his 18th season with the San Jose Sharks. "Even since I was a kid, I feel like I kind of wanted to be that guy who, not necessarily is going to put up a lot of points, but can play both sides of the puck and play well defensively," Alex Vlasic said. The younger Vlasic skates fluidly for his size and has been able to use his long reach and frame to tie up opponents and block passes and shots. (He's blocked 17 so far in nine games.) With the puck, he's been largely a smart "first pass" type of D-man, but has the wheels and sense to jump up into the play selectively. Vlasic has three assists and has taken 14 shots while averaging 18:02 of ice time. Vlasic left the Chicago area as a teen to skate for the USA Hockey Development Program based near Detroit, then went on to play three seasons for Boston University. The Blackhawks drafted him in the second round, 43rd overall in 2019. Vlasic slipped into 21 games with the Blackhawks over the previous two seasons after signing his first pro contract in March 2022. He credits playing as a top D-man on AHL Rockford in 56 games last season with preparing him. "It was such as good experience for me, and being able to grow and gain confidence down there and work on my skill and all that good stuff," Vlasic said.
