New Hawks defenseman Vlasic off to good start

It's always good to make a good impression on your first day with a new company.

Arrive early. Listen. Obey. Be polite. Show off your skills when given the chance.

Do all of that and you're off to a good start.

With that in mind, it's safe to say that Blackhawks defenseman Alex Vlasic earned an A+ after participating in his first practice with the Blackhawks Thursday at Fifth Third Arena.

The 6-foot-6 Vlasic, who is from Wilmette and signed a three-year contract Tuesday, arrived at the rink at 8:15 a.m., 45 minutes before he was told to show up.

After talking to the equipment guys and "killing time" Vlasic had breakfast, introduced himself to teammates and finally hit the ice.

When drills began, the 20-year-old immediately opened some eyes with his precision passing.

"He snaps that puck around pretty good," said coach Derek King. "And (after) that first pass you could hear it and you could see the players are like, 'I like this kid already.'

"Then I gotta chime in and say, 'It's about time we got a defenseman that can make a pass around here.'

"And then they're all like, 'Bwah, hah, ha!' "

Said Vlasic: "I'm happy he complimented my passing. ... It's not something I brag about, but I like to think I'm a good pass-first guy."

Vlasic, drafted by the Hawks 43rd overall in 2019, will likely make his NHL debut either Saturday at Minnesota or Sunday at the United Center against Winnipeg.

Vlasic played AA hockey for the Wilmette Braves and then played for the Chicago Mission. He spent the last three seasons at Boston University, scoring 4 goals and dishing out 16 assists in 82 games.

Although he showed off his passing skills Thursday, Vlasic admitted he'll likely always be a defensive-minded defenseman.

"I kind of asserted myself more this year, just relying on my size and my body to kill plays earlier," he said. "I was just ready for the next challenge to play against bigger players, stronger players, faster. That's kind of why I made the jump (to the NHL)."

King isn't sure how often Vlasic will play during final six weeks of the season. The Hawks' situation on the blue line is pretty cluttered right now, but things may clear up a bit after Monday's trade deadline passes.

"I'll have to talk with Kyle," King said of GM Kyle Davidson. "I know (Vlasic is) going to get a couple of games in. I'm not sure how many after that."

Vlasic's cousin is Marc-Edouard Vlasic, who has played 1,138 games for San Jose. One of Alex's earliest hockey memories is of the Hawks sweeping the Sharks in the 2010 Western Conference finals.

The Hawks, of course, claimed the Stanley Cup after eliminating Philadelphia in six games. Vlasic did not attend the parade, nor did he ever own a Hawks jersey growing up.

"We would always go when (San Jose) played the Hawks, wear the Sharks jerseys, get booed and everything," Vlasic said. "It's kind of crazy. ...

"Once I got drafted, I kind of quickly turned to the Hawks."

Where he quickly made a great first impression.

Johnson skates:

Forward Tyler Johnson, who is in concussion protocol, skated on his own before the Blackhawks practiced Thursday. Johnson was hit in the head by the puck on a dump-in attempt by teammate Dominik Kubalik during the Hawks' win Saturday at Ottawa.

Johnson was playing in just his sixth game after missing 46 contests while recovering from a neck injury and subsequent surgery.