Washington Capitals Prospect Review and Forecast: Alexander Alexeyev

We continue our prospect review and forecast series with a review and forecast for defenseman Alexander Alexeyev. (You can access all of our Capitals Prospect Reports and player analysis on our “Prospects” page on the top menu or right here.)

VITALS
Alexeyev, 19, was the Capitals first round draft pick (#31 overall) in the 2018 NHL entry draft. The 6’-4” left-handed defenseman signed a three-year entry-level contract last fall, following Capitals training camp, on September 24, for $894,167 AAV. He will be a restricted free agent in the summer of 2023. He is waivers exempt for the coming season.

CAREER
Alexeyev began his hockey career with Serebryanye of the MHL (the KHL’s minor league system). He was subsequently drafted in the first round of the 2016 CHL import draft by the Red Deer Rebels.

Alexeyev started for the Rebels beginning with the 2016-2017 season, where he registered four goals and 17 assists in 41 games played.

In his second year at Red Deer, Alexeyev would nearly double his scoring output, registering seven goals and 30 assists in 45 games. However, he would suffer a shoulder injury that marginalized his season.

2018-2019 SEASON SUMMARY
It was a tale of two seasons for Alex, with a clear delineation of the two parts occurring at the 2019 World Junior Championship in late December and early January. Alexeyev got off to a blazing-hot start, offensively in October, scoring seven goals and 13 assists in just 15 games in October. He was also named WHL player of the week in late October. In November he had no goals but nine assists in nine games played, and sustained his first of several injuries During the season in late November.

Alexeyev was selected for the World Juniors by Team Russia, scoring a goal and adding an assist in a game against Switzerland in the preliminary round. He scored a goal against Switzerland (here) on December 30, with one goal and three assists in four games played in the preliminary round. In the end, Alexeyev had an impressive showing at this year’s World Junior Championship in Vancouver, British Columbia (recap is here). Alexeyev had two goals and four assists in seven games played. He totaled 12 shots for a shooting percentage of 16.7% for the tournament. He totaled 10 PIMs, registered one power play goal and one game-winning goal, and was a plus-9.

However, his productivity continued to quiet down after he returned to Red Deer. Alexeyev returned to Red Deer starting on January 9. Unfortunately he suffered another injury in a game against the Calgary Hitmen on January 19. He left the game, but returned to finish the game. However, he was scratched the following night against the Hitmen and against Medicine Hat on January 25. He also missed the remaining two games of the month. According to local sources, Alexeyev was seen around the practice facility with his shoulder in a sling, and it looks like he injured the same shoulder he injured last season. After going through two significant injuries already in the season, Alexeyev suffered a significant knee injury at the beginning of March (here) and did not return to game action the remainder of the season. For The season, he had 10 goals and 33 assists in 49 games played.

2018-2018 MONTH-BY-MONTH RECAP AND TREND ANALYSIS
The following is a compilation of our month-by-month prospect reports for Alex Alexeyev during the 2018-2019 season. You can find all of our monthly prospect reports on our “Prospects” page in the top menu.

October
Alexeyev was released from Capitals training camp on September 19 in time for the start of Red Deer’s regular season on September 21. Alexeyev started fast for the Rebels, registering goals in each of his first two games on opening weekend with Red Deer. He would continue his scoring hot streak with a goal in the first game the following weekend against Calgary, making it three goals in three games for the southpaw from St. Petersburg, Russia. Alexeyev potted the overtime game-winning goal for the Rebels against the Kootenay Ice on October 20 and continued his hot streak, scoring two more goals in the following game against the Calgary Hitmen on October 23. (here). Alexeyev scored a goal and two assists in the Rebels final game of October against Kootenay. Offensively, he finished the first month of the season with seven goals, (two power play goals) and 13 assists for 20 points, (second-most on Red Deer) in 15 games played, for a 1.33 points per game average. Alexeyev registered 41 shots on goal for a 17.0 shooting percentage. Defensively, Alexeyev finished the month with a plus-8 on the way to a 10-4-1-0 record for the Rebels. He would play the entire month on the top defensive pair for Red Deer. Alexeyev was named the WHL player of the week for the last week in October (here). He is currently second among all WHL defensemen in points.

Trending: Up

November
On November 2, the CHL and the Russian Hockey Federation announced that Alexeyev was selected for the Team Russia roster for the upcoming Canada-Russia series to take place between November 5 through November 15 (more here). Offensively, Alexeyev’s scoring cooled off significantly in November, with no goals and nine assists for the month. However, he continues to shoot the puck, finishing the month fourth on the team in shots on goal. Alexeyev now has seven goals and 21 assists in 23 games played so far this season. Defensively, Alexeyev continues to be a force for Red Deer. He finished the month of November as a plus-13, which is the second-best plus/minus on the team. Alexeyev was scratched from the Rebels lineup on November 27, as a result of an “upper-body injury” he sustained in a game against Medicine Hat on November 24. He is listed “day-to-day”. He was also scratched the following game on November 28 against Medicine Hat.

Trending: Same

December
The month of December included a couple of injury scares for the Capitals’ 2018 first round draft pick. Alexeyev took a high hit from Regina’s Liam Schioler in the second period on December 7, and would leave the game. However, he would return for the start of the third period. (here). Alexeyev was then hit awkwardly into the boards by Blazers forward Zane Franklin in the first period on December 11 (here and here), and was taken to Red Deer Regional Hospital. Alexeyev underwent an x-ray and a CAT scan and both were negative, as disclosed Rebels GM/head coach Brent Sutter. He was cleared the next day and returned to the lineup the following game on December 14. Offensively, Alexeyev has continued to cool-off in December. After starting the season with seven goals and 13 assists in the first 15 games (41 shots), Alexeyev went the next 15 games with no goals and 11 assists (36 shots), while shooting at essentially the same rate. Alexeyev was selected for the World Juniors by Team Russia, scoring a goal and adding an assist in a game against Switzerland in the preliminary round. He scored a goal against Switzerland (here) on December 30, with one goal and three assists in four games played in the preliminary round.

Trending: Same

January
Alexeyev had an impressive showing at this year’s World Junior Championship in Vancouver, British Columbia (recap is here). Alexeyev had two goals and four assists in seven games played. He totaled 12 shots for a shooting percentage of 16.7% for the tournament. He totaled 10 PIMs, registered one power play goal and one game-winning goal, and was a plus-9. Alexeyev returned to Red Deer starting on January 9. Alexeyev suffered another injury in a game against the Calgary Hitmen in January 19. He left the game, but returned to finish the game. However, he was scratched the following night against the Hitmen and against Medicine Hat on January 25. He also missed the remaining two games of the month. According to local sources, Alexeyev has been seen with his shoulder in a sling, and it looks like he injured the same shoulder he injured last season. He remains listed as “week-to-week”. For the month, Alexeyev played in just five games for Red Deer, registering no goals and six assists. Alexeyev’s decline in goal production is not related to a systemic change by the Revels mid-season, as Alexeyev’s shot production has remained consistent this season. For the year, Alexeyev has seven goals on 90 shots for a 7.7% shooting percentage. Defensively, Alexeyev’s game remains strong, but the physical level of play may be catching up to him a bit, sustaining two significant injuries recently. February will be an important month for Alexeyev and the pursuit of the next step in his career.

Trending: Same

February
Alexeyev returned to the lineup on February 8 after being out of the lineup since January 19 with an “upper-body injury”. Reports from Red Deer stated that Alexeyev was seen around the Rebels Practice rink with his arm/shoulder in a sling, the same arm/shoulder that he injured last season. Reading the tea leaves, this sounds like a dislocated shoulder, and if so, may need to be followed in the future for additional re-occurrences. Alexeyev scored on February 15 against Seattle. It was his first WHL goal since 10/28/18 (25 games). He did have tallies in the World Junior Championship (here). Alexeyev finished the month of February with goals in each of his last two games. For the month, he had three goals and three assists in 11 games played. In the season, Alexeyev has 10 goals and 33 assists in 46 games played for a .93 points per game average, and is a plus-19. He has registered 124 shots on goal for a 8.1% shooting percentage. Alexeyev’s offensive numbers are up from last season with Red Deer. In 2017-2018, he registered seven goals and 30 assists in 45 games for a .82 points per game average, and was a minus-3. Alexeyev’s time in the WHL has likely come to an end and should be in Hershey this coming fall.

Trending: Same

March
The 2018-19 season was really up and down for Alexeyev. He started it with a bang, but after going through two injuries already in the season, he suffered a huge knee injury at the beginning of March (here) and hasn’t played since. He recorded no points in three games in March. For the season, Alexeyev had 10 goals and 33 assists in 49 games played, with most of his scoring coming before the World Junior Championship. To add insult to injury, his team was swept in the first round while he healed on the sidelines. That will bring his WHL career to an end most likely, as he’ll probably turn pro next season and join the Hershey Bears.

Trending: Same

HIGHLIGHTS

PLAYER FORECAST
Alexeyev is ready to begin his AHL work this coming season, and has already made an appearance in Bears camp at the end of the 2018-2019 season (no game action, rehab only). He should be battling for a starting spot this fall, and should earn a starting position on the Bears blueline. When healthy, he’s that good.

Alexeyev was prone to injuries in his last two seasons with Red Deer. Goal number one in Hershey this season will be to play more than 60 games without a significant injury (The most games he’s played in a season to date is 49.) He has suffered repetitive injuries to the same shoulder the last two seasons as well, which will be something to watch during his first year in Chocolate Town.

Alexeyev has all the skills offensively and defensively to become an NHL-calibre defenseman. Will he be able to endure 80 games in a season is the only remaining question.

By Jon Sorensen

View this post on Instagram

#ALLCAPS first round pick in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft @alex_alexeyev04 signing his first professional contract Sunday afternoon. #Capitals Alex said ‘I am so honored and happy to signed my first NHL contract with great organization @capitals proud to be part of it , I wanna say thank you to everyone ho helped me to get to this point ,my friends ,my teammates , coaches , trainers , my agency and especially my family #allcaps⁠ ⁠’ Welcome, Alex! #CapsFam

A post shared by NoVa Caps (@nova_caps) on Sep 23, 2018 at 3:17pm PDT