The 2024 NHL Draft will be held in June at a location to be announced. NHL.com will take a closer look at some of the draft-eligible players to watch.
CRANBERRY, Pa. -- Sacha Boisvert got a glimpse of his potential NHL future at the start of this season.
The 17-year-old center playing for Muskegon of the United States Hockey League participated in the USHL Fall Classic, a showcase held from Sept. 20-25 at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex, the practice facility of the Pittsburgh Penguins.
It happened to coincide with the start of Penguins training camp, which opened Sept. 21. Boisvert, an A rated skater on NHL Central Scouting's preliminary players to watch list for the 2024 NHL Draft, took some time to watch Penguins captain Sidney Crosby before a game Sept. 23.
"I was taping my sticks," Boisvert said. "I went over and looked at it a little bit, watched Crosby, trying to get some tips out of it. He's a center, good on draws, focused a little bit on the draws and stuff. That was fun."
But it's Evgeni Malkin, Crosby's running mate at center for the past 18 seasons, who Boisvert considers his favorite player.
A native of Trois-Rivieres, Quebec, Boisvert has a picture from when he was younger with Malkin, whose 1,240 points (476 goals, 764 assists) rank second by a Russia-born player in NHL history behind Washington Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin (1,493 points; 824 goals, 669 assists).
Boisvert (6-foot-2, 174 pounds) has a similar build to Malkin (6-3, 195), which Muskegon coach Parker Burgess said could translate well to the NHL.
"Obviously, he's a big, strong centerman with a great stick," Burgess said. "He's got a power element to his game where he's able to take pucks to the net and likes to get into the hard areas of the ice, like the middle of the ice, works to get his shot off in a bunch of different areas.
"When he's going and confident, he can be one of the most dominant players I've had the pleasure to coach. He has the ability to take over games."
To Burgess, another appropriate comparison is center Anze Kopitar, whose 1,151 points (398 goals, 753 assists) in 18 seasons with the Los Angeles Kings are four from passing Luc Robitaille for second in team history behind Marcel Dionne (1,307). The Kings captain is also five assists from Dionne's record of 757.
"He can score, he can check, he can defend, he's a leader," Burgess said. "How many 17-year-olds are wearing letters and have that level of leadership? So I think a guy like Kopitar, who has a really strong 200-foot game, is ultra-competitive, heavy on forechecks."
Boisvert's size has continued to pay off early in his second with Muskegon. He has 13 points (nine goals, four assists) with 37 shots on goal in 12 games after having 45 points (17 goals, 28 assists) in 57 games last season.
There's still work to be done. Burgess would like him to understand that, at center, he doesn't need to do it all himself.
"I think that's a tough thing to transition into when you're a young player at 16," Burgess said. "So just getting better on face-offs and finding different ways to win draws or tie up. And then, just his 200-foot game, he's gotten so much better at.
"I know it's an area of focus we're going to continue to work on with him, just making sure his D-zone coverage is clean, he knows his routes and responsibilities in the D-zone and continuing to use his linemates."
Boisvert could further his development at the University of North Dakota, possibly becoming the first Quebec-born player with the program.
"I always wanted to play in the U.S. It was always my dream," Boisvert said. "The day I got the chance to commit there, I just took it right away and didn't hesitate."
Looking ahead at the draft, Boisvert is excited but not overwhelmed.
"It's been my dream since I was a kid, to get drafted into the NHL," Boisvert said. "It's going to be a big step, obviously, but I'm not trying to think about it too much. If I just play the game and play the right way, everything will come."
PROSPECTS ON THE RADAR (listed alphabetically)
Ivan Demidov, RW, SKA St. Petersburg (RUS): A dynamic puck-mover who at one point earlier this season was earning comparisons with Matvei Michkov, chosen No. 7 by the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2023 NHL Draft. Demidov (5-11, 181) has no points in four games for SKA St. Petersburg in the Kontinental Hockey League. He injured his knee in October and is expected to be out until January. He can play wing or center, is a great skater and will battle in the tough areas of the ice.
Artyom Levshunov, D, Michigan State University (NCAA): The right-handed shot (6-2, 208), born in Belarus, has seven points (three goals, four assists) and is plus-9 in eight games as a freshman. The 18-year-old is playing on the top defense pair and already earning big minutes in critical situations. He's the third-youngest player in NCAA Division I men's hockey this season after getting 42 points (13 goals, 29 assists) in 62 games for Green Bay of the USHL last season, when he was named to the All-Rookie Team.
Cayden Lindstrom, C, Medicine Hat (WHL): The left-handed shot (6-3, 210) is tied for ninth in the Western Hockey League with 22 points (13 goals, nine assists) and is tied for second with six power-play goals in 15 games. The 17-year-old is 55.6 percent on face-offs (148-for-266).
"A big, strong player that can skate and has good hands," said John Williams of NHL Central Scouting. "He's improved a great deal over the past year or so and could be the first player drafted out of the WHL in June."
NHL.com staff writer Mike G. Morreale contributed to this report
