Washington Capitals: Alexander Alexeyev top 2018 draft choice
By Ron Juckett
The Washington Capitals secured their defense for the future by taking Alexander Alexeyev in the first round of the 2018 NHL Draft. Let’s meet him.
On a night when Swedish defensemen were the rage, the Washington Capitals selected Alexander Alexeyev with the 31st pick of the 2018 NHL Draft from Russia and Red Deer from the Western Hockey League.
Alexeyev is a strapping lad from St. Petersburg, ranks high on several prospect lists including 22nd by NHL Central Scouting’s list of North American skaters. At 6’4 and 196 pounds, he is at least two years away from the NHL.
But, he has a good passing eye from the blue line and, at least in Red Deer, does not take a ton of penalties. In 86 WHL regular season games, Alexeyev has 47 assists and 58 points. A left-handed shot, he has 11 goals. In 17 games on various Russian national teams, he has six assists.
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The website TheHockeyWriters.com notes his speed and his size. Alexeyev is fast and has made the change to the smaller North American rinks compared to the larger and wider rinks found in Europe. They also note he is not a risky player. A steady force who plays good defense but is not flashy on offense.
Because of injuries and the death of his mother—and camp for Russian junior hockey according to TheHockeyWriters—Alexeyev has missed 58 games over the last two seasons. He needs regular playing time to learn his trade.
John Williams of the NHL Central Scouting service was impressed enough that he graded Alexeyev as an “A-level” prospect. His thoughts:
"“He missed a lot of time last year due to a knee injury, so we were erring on the side of caution when starting him as a B-rated player. In my last viewing, he must have played 35 minutes in a game that Red Deer won in overtime. He’s a real solid player in all aspects of the game. He has the size and is a skater who can carry the puck and gain the zone. He makes good passes, has a good stick defensively.”"
Next: 2018 Draft about stocking depth
Alexeyev is raw. Another year in Red Deer is certain and either a full year in South Carolina in the ECHL or in AHL Hershey is needed before skating in Washington. But, if his knee holds and his frame fills, the Washington Capitals scored well with their first choice in the 2018 NHL Draft.