Nikita Alexandrov
2018-19 Team: Charlottetown Islanders (#14)
Date of Birth: September 16, 2000
Place of Birth: Burgwedel, Germany
Ht: 5-foot-11 Wt: 185 pounds
Shoots: Left
Position: Center
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2019 first-year eligible
Rankings
- The Hockey Writers (Pike’s Picks): 73rd (final)
- Future Considerations: outside of top 100 (final)
- ISS: outside of first round (April)
- Bob McKenzie: outside of top 15 (April; draft lottery update)
- Craig Button: 64th (June)
The middle to late stages of the NHL Draft are for making bets on players. Scouting staffs have to take stock of a player’s body of work and attributes, then try to project if they’ll keep moving along a development path or stall out. It’s not an exact science, though some clubs have managed to get things right more often than others.
Charlottetown Islanders forward Nikita Alexandrov is, in many ways, a player that seems like a pretty decent bet in the middle part of the 2019 NHL Draft. Born in Germany to Russian parents, he’s just completed his second full season in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League after coming over in the 2017 CHL Import Draft.
It’s easy to see the things about Alexandrov’s game that makes him appealing to teams. He’s a reliable two-way player and plays a responsible, consistent 200-foot game. He’s become more comfortable in the offensive zone, increasing his offensive output from 13 goals and 31 points to 27 goals and 61 points.
Related: Our Free NHL Draft Guide
While Alexandrov does have a consistent two-way presence, his offensive touch comes and goes. He’s prone to stretches where he’ll score multiple points for two or three games, then his offense will dry up. He also has flashes of occasional brilliance in the offensive zone; if he could bust that out more often, teams would be more confident in taking him earlier in the draft.
In the middle part of the draft, Alexandrov seems like a relatively safe bet. He’s a smart, responsible two-way player with seemingly untapped offensive upside. If he can figure out how to bring his offensive swagger on a regular basis, he could be a good value selection in the 2019 NHL Draft
Nikita Alexandrov – NHL Draft Projection
Alexandrov will likely be selected in the latter stages of the second round or early in the third round.
Quotables
“Under six foot thick winger who has offensive skills and good speed. Some perceive him as more of a scorer based on his shot and offensive gifts but also creativity and excellent unselfish passing skills. Plays with intensity when on the offense but also needs to play stronger without the puck and in his own end.” – Bill Placzek, DraftSite
Strengths
- Good hockey sense who anticipates plays well in all three zones.
- Smart positional player.
- Occasional flashes of brilliance with the puck in offensive zone.
Under Construction (Improvements to Make)
- Needs to keep filling out physically and building up muscle.
- Needs to keep working on his faceoffs.
- Needs to find more offensive consistency.
Other 2019 NHL Draft Profiles
NHL Potential
Alexandrov projects as a reponsible bottom six center at the NHL level.
Risk-Reward Analysis
Risk – 1/5, Reward – 3/5
Fantasy Hockey Potential
Offense 8/10, Defense 7/10
Awards/Achievements
Alexandrov has yet to represent his country internationally or win a major award.
