CambieKev
Scout. Future Considerations, Dobber Prospects.
- Aug 26, 2019
- 189
- 694
Happy Friday, everyone. Today, we'll be looking at Alexander Barabanov, the free agent whose services are being sought by numerous NHL clubs at the moment.
This is the second installment of my new scouting series, Eight-Minute Insights, in which we look at footage of particularly players of interest in order to gauge their style of play. This presentation features Barabanov's performance in Game 3 of the 2020 KHL playoffs against Vityaz on March 5, 2020.
The Toronto Maple Leafs and Arizona Coyotes are among the teams attempting to sign the coveted KHL winger. If one were to compare him to any player, Nico Hischier may be the first player to come to mind based on a few similarities. Of course, Hischier is a centerman while Barabanov is a winger, but his board work and play in the lower half of the offensive zone provide reasons to consider them similar from a stylistic point of view.
Alexander Barabnov is a slick skater with great edge work. He uses his body to shield the puck and hustles along the boards to protect it. He uses his agility to gain body position against the opponent, and can sometimes steal pucks or place himself in a favorable position relative to the closest opposing player. When he is in the offensive zone, he prefers either to remain behind the goal line as a puck distributor or in front of the net as a screen. Staying behind the net generally allows him to provide puck support along the boards, which is where he excels.
He does not appear to have the most offensive vision or the strongest sense of anticipation away from the puck, but when he has it on his stick, he can keep it away from the opponent with shifty maneuvers. One may feel that he holds on to the puck too long in an effort to escape the opponent's pressure individually.
He does not appear to be the quickest straight-line skater, but in tight spaces he can be elusive as demonstrated in our footage sample. There are many moments involving quick pivots and turns with the puck on his stick, and board work seems to be his forte.
He will add forechecking and puck possession, but he might not deliver a ton offensively. He does not seem to possess the vision required to sustain offensive pressure, often fighting for pucks and either directing it to the crease -- either himself or via a centering pass -- or losing it in the process.
Enjoy the video!
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