Controversy Creates Cash?

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Having signed with the Houston Bulls coming out of the Austrian ICE Hockey League, Ukrainian winger Konstyantyn Shevchenko clearly struggled to adjust to the smaller VHLM ice surfaces. In 17 games with the Bulls, Shevchenko scored 3 goals and added 3 assists, while finishing a +10. While Shevchenko did not contribute much in a statistical way, it should be noted that the Bulls went on an outstanding run of games to close out the season and cement themselves as one of the true threats in the postseason. Unfortunately for Houston, the Bulls went on to lose to Ottawa in game 7 of the second round of the playoffs, a game in which Shevchenko scored.
 
But what has been making headlines is his words off the ice. "Of course it would be great to just play the game and live my life that way," Shevchenko recently told Eurosport.com, via interpreter, in a hotly-anticipated interview, "but that is just not the reality of the situation. There is so much going on in my homeland, so much pain and sorrow, and it's impossible for me to forget that every time I lace up my skates. I know I am incredibly fortunate to even have a chance to make a living by playing a game for children. There is not a single day I do not think of the people in my village, or in Kalush, where I played for the Legion before coming to Austria. I do not have the skills to be a soldier, I think, though if I did, I imagine I'd be a sniper on the battlefield, the same way I try to be on the ice."

 

This excerpt has been making the rounds in the junior hockey media world, with some claiming that Shevchenko's seeming comparison to being a goal scorer in ice hockey versus a trained killer on the battlefield is in bad taste, or controversial in some regard, which may impact his draft stock. Others say that it simply shows his level of competitiveness, a trait that should translate well to the next level.

 

A weapon of war, a road not travelled

 

Potential attitude issues aside, it seems clear that Shevchenko should be a first round selection in the VHLM Entry Draft. Arguably the top forward available, Shevchenko is capable of launching a variety of shots with blistering velocity, especially considering his age. Undoubtedly scouts would like to see him improve in both his footspeed and his attention to play in his own zone, but even if he only becomes a modest defensive forward, his offensive skills will be enough to make pro scouts salivate. He also has an enormous frame, standing 6'7" before putting on the skates, a trait that has led some people to mutter the name "Tage Thompson" when they talk about him. Whether or not he reaches his full potential, Konstyantyn Shevchenko has arrived in North America and is clearly ready to be make an impact. And now formally an undrafted, unattached free agent, the question begs to be asked: what will his true rookie season look like, and where will it be?

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