Shevchenko Scouting Report

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One of the top VHL Entry Draft prospects is 6'7" winger Konstyantyn Shevchenko. A native of Ukraine by way of Austria, Shevchenko has quickly risen up the ranks and is seen as a borderline Can't Miss prospect, expected to go in the first half of the first round of the Draft. But what makes Shevchenko so highly-touted?

 

His most obvious skill is his shot. He can seemingly score from anywhere in the offensive zone and has a wide array of weapons. Whether burying one-timers on the power play from the half wall or darting to the center of the ice to release a twisted wrister, Shevchenko is one of the purest goal scorers available. STHS Scoring rating: 70

 

What's maybe not so obvious is that Shevchenko is possibly the strongest player in the Draft. He wasn't necessarily like that when he joined the VHLM a season ago, but there's no question that he's put in an enormous amount of work in the weight room. This has led to him being progressively more difficult for opposing players to separate him from the puck, which will only benefit him as his other skills continue to develop. STHS Strength rating: 74

 

Muscle, Hustle, and Flow

 

Shevchenko is also a decent if fairly unremarkable stickhandler. It's unlikely he'll ever win any kind of puck handling relay at a VHL All Star Skills Competition, but he is shifty with the puck and capable of catching defending players off guard with a variety of moves. STHS Puck Handling rating: 64

 

On the down side, his skating leaves a lot to be desired, and it could be a skill that holds him back. His speed is below average, and he is clearly uncomfortable carrying the puck into the zone and would much rather be the trigger man at the receiving end of the pass than creating his own space with his feet. Despite this, he broke the 50 goal milestone with the Mississauga Hounds last season utilizing his smarts and his shot more than his skates. STHS Skating rating: 48.

 

It is unclear who would win a race...

 

Finally, despite being a fairly competent player in his own zone, and the aforementioned muscularity, Shevchenko is not known for his physical play at all. In the rough and tumble VHLM, he was credited with 142 hits in 72 games last season, which is certainly nothing to sneeze at but does indicate the unlikeliness of Shevchenko growing into a power forward at the VHL level. STHS Checking rating: 49.