FEATURE: Fortin takes lessons learned into NHL debut

The moment he's been waiting for much of his life has finally arrived.
21-year-old Alexandre Fortin is set to make his NHL debut when the Blackhawks play the Minnesota Wild in St. Paul on Thursday night.

"I think Jeremy is really good at helping his player know exactly what they have to do and showing them," he said. "For me, it was the best thing that could happen to me because the player that I was last year and the player I am this year and the habits that I put on my mind to be ready for every game and play both sides of the zone and he helped me a lot with that.
"Jeremy and all of the coaching staff in Rockford are very good for that. That's why I think we get developed a lot. I'm lucky to have them and now I'm just trying to put this on the ice and put it in my game."
Fortin shined at the Traverse City NHL Prospects Tournament this summer and then transitioned that to main camp, where he tried his best to leave an impression on the Blackhawks coaching staff.
"In training camp, I tried to play my game, use my speed and show them what I can do," he said.

Getting sent down to the American Hockey League to start the season was not a failure. He had a feeling his time would come.
"I hoped I could show what they need and now I'm here," he said. "I'm just trying to practice and do everything I can to be the best I can be. I'm very excited about it."
Fortin is in a much better spot for an NHL debut this season than he was last year, which was his first professional campaign after a three-year stay in the QMJHL.
"I think the best thing for me right now is I know what I have to do," Fortin said. "First year, you kind of learn a little bit and now I think it's always nice where you have to go and what you have to do to be at the next level. Now I just have to do that every night and that's what I'm doing now."
The Blackhawks are looking for Fortin to bring speed to the game, likely on the third line with Chris Kunitz and Artem Anisimov - as seen in practice on Wednesday.
"I just think that watching games in the league, it's fast and it's quick," said Blackhawks Head Coach Joel Quenneville. "We always want an extra forward around anyways and it gives us an opportunity to get a look at him today. I think seeing him in a game tomorrow will be good to give us something to look at and try something as well."