Rough Start for Shevchenko, Dragons

[der meister 3,197]

After being selected 4th overall by the D.C. Dragons in the VHL Entry Draft and 6th overall by the Cologne Express in the VHLE Draft, Ukrainian winger Konstyantyn Shevchenko was all-in on making an immediate impact for whichever team he suited up for. After the first meeting with D.C., it was clear he'd be a Dragon when the season started, and an animated Shevchenko was clearly chomping at the bit to make an impact.

 

    "I want to be a key player for the team as soon as possible," he said, his English having improved considerably since first landing in North America with the Mississauga Hounds.

 

    Unfortunately for Shevchenko and the Dragons, Season 95 has not been kind to them so far. As the basement dweller of the North American Conference, the Dragons have a 2-6-1 record in their first 9 games, and have scored an anemic 12 goals total, while surrendering 32. Somewhat surprisingly, those 5 points are not the worst in the league, as the Dragons retain a statistically-significant lead on the Prague Phantoms, who are 0-7-2 to start their season. The Phantoms have also outscored the Dragons by 4 goals, which can't sit well with Shevchenko.

 

    And yet, it seems like nothing Shevchenko does is working out for him at this point. In those 9 games, he has a single goal on 13 shots, a 7.69 shooting percentage, and a -5 rating. Obviously it's much more difficult to score at the VHL than the VHLM level, but the drop from a 12.59 shooting percentage last season in the VHLM is massive. Perhaps good news for the Dragons is that the young winger has shown a surprising physical element to his game, as evidenced by his 21 hits, which leads all forwards on the squad.

 

    As the youngest player on the Dragons, one would think that Shevchenko also has the most potential. Despite their losing ways, Shevchenko has shows some small growth in his foot speed compared to last season, and has also packed on considerable muscle. He also clearly spent some of the offseason studying tape, as his defensive acumen and general positioning is markedly improved from where he was when last season ended. Still, it's clear how unhappy he is to be held scoreless more often than not. Reports from the arena are that he arrives early to practice to work out before hitting the ice, and stays late, firing pucks from every conceivable angle to try to recapture the shot that notched him 50 goals last season.

 

    "I am growing every week," Shevchenko added, no sign of ego in his tone. "It's a big adjustment, but I'm not going to fail. The people of my country need me to be better, so I will be better. It's as simple as that."

 

    As if to emphasize his point, since making these comments, Shevchenko has notched a goal in each of the last two games, bringing his total to 3 on the season, and added his first career VHL fight, a draw, in the most recent game. Both matches were losses for the Dragons.

 

A true hootenanny 

[Greg_Di 1,024]

Review:

Loved the article. I like following and seeing how our draft class is progressing. Article showcased Konstyantyn's current stats and how he feels he is doing. Article had all the necessary information, was spaced well and put together well. Pictures always add a nice touch. He will get better and can't wait to see how he comes along for you! Don't see any way to improve this article. Well done! 10/10