Rookie Profile: Matvei Albertenko [1/2]

[alex-daigle 8]

                                                   Matvei Albertenko: The next (and first) elite Belarusian.

 

Basic Information
Age: 18
Height: 5'10
Weight: 190 lbs
Position: C
Shoots: Left

Born: Minsk, Belarus

Albertenko spent his previous seasons playing in his home country for multiple teams including programs of HK Lida and HK Gomel, but has finally decided to branch out of Belarus for a higher level of competition to help further his hockey career, signing with the Minnesota Storm of the VHLM as of this report, let's take a deeper dive into the on ice ability of Belarus' newest wonder.

Pros:
1. Shooting-The finest point of Albertenko's game is his ability to shoot the puck and to score goals in general, whether it's off the rush, on an awkward angle, or a one timer set perfectly from his teammate, the strength and accuracy of his shot is his most valuable asset. Scoring is a natural thing to many players until they have to take their scoring touch to the next level, Matvei should have no issues bringing his shooting ability up to the level he and his team need it to be at for VHLM gameplay. This means that as good as his shot is, he still has a lot of room to improve it even further.

2. Faceoffs-Although not a priority of most general manager's search criteria for their next super star, a good faceoff man is key in both ends of the ice. A good offensive faceoff zone win is the only way to truly generate a play properly in hockey, no very often will you get to start from a standstill in the game other than on your faceoffs. As great as an offensive zone win can be, it's still beaten by one more situation: A defensive zone faceoff win, preventing your opponent from getting off one of their own coveted set plays. Put Albertenko out on the draw for you and he gives you the best of both those worlds.
 

3. Skating-It's no secret, hockey in the 21st century continues to move faster and faster, with leagues cracking down on obstructions, hooking, slashing, and any dirty play used by old style players to defend their own territory. This means to succeed anywhere in the modern hockey world you have to be able to move your feet as fast as Derian Hatcher could water-ski in the 1990s. Albertenko has shown he can outskate his countrymen, but with his opportunity in Minnesota, he has to prove he can outskate the world's best.

Cons:

1. Checking-If you're looking for physicality, you're better off looking in a women's hockey game, where checking is illegal. You're more likely to get some there than in Albertenko's game, actively avoiding body contact and battles in the corners, instead waiting for his teammates to go into corners and dig the puck out, even if he's the only forechecker. His best hope for improving this is a mentality change more than a physical change, as he already has a body type capable of physical plays, his unwillingness the only thing holding him back.

2. Puck Control-As much as Albertenko loves avoiding physical play, he currently has zero to no chance of avoiding open ice physicality, because of his lack of control of the puck. Unlike the physical ability, this is something Albertenko doesn't not have, which in turn makes it easier for him to grow out of, since it doesn't rely on his mental ability and only on what he does on the ice. Get him to put in extra time after practice and he can easily raise this to an average level.

3. Passing-The main problem with Albertenko's passing is that he never rushes the puck up ice due to his lack of puck control, he's not as good of a passer as he should be simply because he always receives passes from teammates instead of the other way around. Another part of his game requiring only a simple fix, making it much easier on his coaches to develop him as he has basic and easy to identify problems with quik fixes.

To summarize, what the above tells you is that Albertenko is a shoot first kind of forward, with a knack for winning faceoffs and outskating opponents, but also incapable of getting into the dirty areas to win puck battles. What the above doesn't tell you, is Albertenko's dedication to improving the defensive side of his game, including checking, to develop into a two-way forward more than a scoring forward, as he feels that's the next step to take in his game as well as making him more useful for his team.

 

Edited June 1, 2019 by alex-daigle

[alex-daigle 8]

@Rayzor_7 Here's your newest signing, hope you enjoy!

[HenrikZoiderberg 469]

Review:

 

Great formatting, and I've never seen someone actually create a player in chel for their player picture. Cute little detail.

 

I like that you're still humble about your pros, with room to grow.

 

On 5/31/2019 at 11:05 PM, alex-daigle said:

It's no secret, hockey in the 21st century continues to move faster and faster, with leagues cracking down on obstructions, hooking, slashing, and any dirty play used by old style players to defend their own territory.

 

Great job with this line, giving insight into the actual environment of the league and some user-based hockey knowledge. 

 

This one's pretty solid. Well done.