Progress Scouting Report - Sigard Petrenko

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Prospect Scouting Report - Sigard Petrenko

 

Sigard Petrenko may have been late joining the VHLM but he has already shown scouts what he is about. There are a few things that the Hounds and even the Bears should know as he starts his second season. Last season, he joined the Houston Bulls just over the halfway mark of the season, playing 30 games. He scored 19 goals and had 18 assists for a point total of 37. His plus/minus was 4, which is a bit concerning. Defensive play should definitely be the next step for Sigard. This season should be a breakout season for the young winger offensively however, he should also aim to improve his defensive game a bit.

 

Pros:

Scoring touch. One of Sigard’s biggest attributes is his ability to score. In fact, it’s arguably his biggest selling point. He scored 19 goals in 30 games, which isn’t bad for a rookie who joined late in the season and took a bit of time to get adjusted to the pace. Sigard also has a decent shooting percentage, showing that he can be efficient at scoring. He took 130 shots this season and showed that he was not afraid of trying to score. It doesn’t matter where he is, he can score from the slot, up close, off the rebound, or even by tipping the puck. All that matters is that Sigard can get the puck in the net when you need him to. He even got a hat trick in his past 30 game season. Most importantly, he scores consistently and doesn’t just have small outbursts every 5 games. Another pro about Sigard Petrenko is his ability to hit. Before talking about his physical game, one thing needs to be clear. Sigard Petrenko is definitely not a top hitter in the league. Far from it. The VHLM has hitters with over 300 hits. Even considering the 30 game season Sigard had, 67 is not league leading material. However, he can hit when he needs to and is definitely a scrappy, physical player despite his small stature of 5’8”. He is a strong player, hitting when he needs to and being able to be gritty in the corners when necessary.

 

Cons:

One of the biggest cons may be Sigard’s ability in his own zone. While it isn’t egregious, I think you’d agree that a +4 plus/minus rating isn’t the best. Sigard Petrenko can hit, sure, but defense is more than just hitting. He has a few blocked shots and even a shorthanded goal but Sigard may want to work on defensive awareness so he knows what to do in defensive situations. Defense is important in games too. A fiery offense is great but if a player lacks the ability to be good in his own end, it may cancel out that offense. If Sigard wants to become a top-six forward in the VHL or even the VHLE for that matter, he needs to explore expanding his defensive arsenal just a bit. Also, throughout the VHLM season, Sigard Petrenko showed a lack of passing, especially in the playoffs. Being a sniper is great but sometimes it may be best for Petrenko to pass a little more in order to help other players put the puck in the net. He has a tendency to simply shoot under pressure instead of thinking of other options. Sigard should try to pass to open teammates more instead of shooting in all offensive situations. As a whole, Sigard’s awareness on the ice is okay but could definitely use improvement. This may be from his lack of experience, which is completely fine. Sigard will have plenty of time this season to fix these flaws. His time in Houston was more like a trial of what is yet to come.