You may not know who Alexandre Fortin is, but it’s only a matter of time before you do. Fortin was actually passed over TWICE in both the 2015 and 2016 NHL Draft. The Blackhawks saw something no other team saw and offered him an invitation to their Development Camp in 2016. The rest is history.
For the second year in a row, Fortin made a name for himself during the offseason. His performance in the 2018 Traverse City prospect tournament really caught my eye, as well as many Blackhawks’ beat writers and members of the organization. Here is a highlight from the tournament where Fortin scored in a shootout.
#Blackhawks prospect Alexandre Fortin has been killing it in the Traverse City Prospect Tournament. Here, he scores on penalty shot. Also, looking good with that ‘A’ patch. We may be seeing more of him in the #NHL shortly. #hockey pic.twitter.com/j8VPozDfvc
— ✶ ✶Tony Gianares✶ ✶ (@Certified_TonyG) September 8, 2018
Alexandre Fortin rode his momentum into the preseason games and regular season. Although he initially started the season off with the Rockford IceHogs, it wasn’t long before he was called up to play with the Blackhawks. Fortin was given his first opportunity on October 11th against the Minnesota Wild and hasn’t looked back since.
#Blackhawks F Alexandre Fortin talks about how it feels to be making his #NHL debut tonight.
“It’s a dream come true, so I’m really excited for my game tonight and I’ll be ready to show what I can do.” #CHIvsMIN pic.twitter.com/THerVnPVPk
— ✶ ✶Tony Gianares✶ ✶ (@Certified_TonyG) October 11, 2018
Alexandre Fortin Is Making The Most Of His Opportunity
Let’s be honest here, luck has had nothing to do with the rise of Alexandre Fortin. Most of the Blackhawks’ offense has been lackluster outside of the 1st line (DeBrincat-Toews-Kahun) and Patrick Kane. Brandon Saad has been disappointing in his 2nd stint with the Blackhawks — that’s putting it mildly. Saad’s struggles on the 2nd line this season have left a meaningful role on the 2nd line up for grabs.
Fortin seized the opportunity and he has run with it through 5 games. Alexandre Fortin has been a speed demon in every sense of the words. Fortin is creating havoc with his speed and presence, racking up a respectable 2 points (1G, 1A) in the process.
Alexandre Fortin scored his 1st goal on October 21st against the Tampa Bay Lightning and it was just about the only bright spot for the Blackhawks in that game. In the following clips, you will get a firsthand view of what Fortin brings to the table as a player. Speed, speed, and more speed. Plus, he shows off the hands on the finish.
Here’s an alternate angle of Alexandre Fortin’s 1st #NHL goal! 🏒🥅🚨 #Blackhawks #CHIvsTBL pic.twitter.com/WoCN0DEgXn
— ✶ ✶Tony Gianares✶ ✶ (@Certified_TonyG) October 21, 2018
Some of the things Fortin does well won’t show up on the stat sheet, like playing good team defense, preventing odd-man rushes or breakaways, creating scoring opportunities, and etc. These are all just a few of the reasons why I am a big advocate for Alexandre Fortin.
What’s Next For Alexandre Fortin?
As long as Brandon Saad continues to struggle, you should get used to seeing Alexandre Fortin in the Blackhawks’ Top 6. I actually don’t mind it at all. Honestly, Fortin fits in nicely alongside Patrick Kane and Artem Anisimov. He has enough speed to keep up with Kane and a good two-way game to help out on defense.
If I was in charge of making the lines, this is what I would do:
DeBrincat-Toews-Kahun
Fortin-Anisimov-Kane
Saad-Schmaltz-Kunitz
Hayden-Kruger-Kampf
These combinations give each line a good balance of scoring, defense, and speed. If you take a closer look at what the current powerhouses are doing in the NHL, you’ll see that they use the same formula that I used above.
A true Stanley Cup contender is able to roll all 4 lines at any time during a game and not skip a beat. Right now, you’ll notice Coach Q double shifting certain players like Patrick Kane just to keep the other lines competitive, especially late in games. My proposed lines would eliminate the need to do that and it also keeps everybody fresh.
Also, why not give Alexandre Fortin a shot on the power play? It certainly wouldn’t make the power play any worse than it already has been this season. The Blackhawks are currently tied for the 4th worst power play efficiency in the NHL. This sad power play is desperately in need of a boost.
The Blackhawks’ power play could use another speedster, like Fortin, to help produce better offensive zone entries and blow past defenders to really open up passing and shooting lanes. Fortin is the right guy for the job.
My Expectations For Alexandre Fortin Going Forward
I have high hopes for Alexandre Fortin and believe he will be a mainstay on the NHL roster this season. Since Fortin has been playing on the 2nd line and may get some looks on the power play in the future, I think he could realistically end up with somewhere between 30-40 points.
I am excited to see how things play out for him and I will enjoy watching his development over the course of the 2018-19 season. The Blackhawks’ next game is on October 23rd against the Anaheim Ducks. Let’s see if this Fortin Train keeps gaining steam.
For more Blackhawks news and updates, follow the author @Certified_TonyG on Twitter.
