Dimitri Volosenkov Rookie Profile (Top Two-Way forward of all time?)

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Player Name: Dimitri Volosenkov
Age: 21
Position: LW
Height: 72 in.
Weight: 190 lbs.
Birthplace: Russia

Preferred Number: 77

Dimitri Volosenkov was introduced to hockey at a very young age as his father was a successful player in the KHL. He developed a love for the game very quickly and was naturally talented, being one of the top forwards on any team he played for.  He grew up watching Pavel Datsyuk and modelled his Two-Way style of play after that.

 

He was drafted in the first round, 7th overall in the QMJHL Draft by the Halifax Mooseheads. The following season he impressed at training camp and got a spot on the roster averaging 15:34 TOI in his rookie season. He put up decent numbers in his years in junior and being able to perform in the playoffs under pressure including facing elimination. After becoming too old for the QMJHL, he started at Dalhousie University studying Engineering and currently plays for the Men's Hockey team putting up top line minutes every game.

 

Now that Dimitri has had some solid time playing in junior and now with university level hockey, he's looking to take it to the next level and be drafted high in the VHL draft. He is a highly motivated and  dedicated individual who will do whatever it takes to win games, especially if it means rustling a few feathers along the way. He's not afraid to lay the body out and making sure that his presence is known on the ice. Dimitri has a few areas to improve but overall his work ethic and dedication to the game of hockey will bring him to be a great hockey player in the future being able to mesh well in any locker room.

 

Pros:

 

Skating - Skating has always been a priority for Dimitri as you'll never find him skipping leg day, and often finding him on the ice doing suicide drills. With his excellent speed and acceleration he's able to backcheck opponents well to cover for any defenseman. You'll often find him involved in offensive odd man rushes as his explosive speed allows him to outskate most defenseman.

 

Defense - Dimitri has excellent defensive awareness allowing him to get to the areas to shut down passing lanes and blocking shots. His stick work is excellent. Dmitri's natural ability to take the puck away from any skater with his stick lifts and poke checks is revered throughout the league. He would be an asset for any offense by forcing turnovers in the defensive zone and being explosive on the rush. 

 

Checking - His ability to lay out the body and punish any skater who doesn't have their head up is known around the league. He often is involved in battles in-front of the net or in the corners fighting off defenders to setup scoring chances.

 

Scoring - He has an excellent shot, being able to pick corners and shoot through screens. He gets himself infront of the net to bury many rebounds, screen the goalie, or get a tip. 

 

Cons:

 

Discipline - He's prone to take some penalties with the amount of hitting, poke checking, and stick lifting he does. The most common being stick infractions. He is working to improve this attribute but for the time being struggles a little bit in this category

 

Fighting - Fighting is not one of his strong suits as he rarely drops the gloves with anyone especially if they're bigger than him. He likely won't initiate any scrums but will stand up for a teammate if necessary. 

 

Penalty Shots - He lacks the creativity and hands to dangle goalies on a penalty shot. He would much rather take a well placed shot, therefore he isn't the best choice if you want some silky mitts.