Alex Sotek
2021-22 Team: HC Slovan Bratislava (Slovakia)
Date of Birth: February 9, 2004
Place of Birth: Poprad, Slovakia
Ht: 6-foot-0 Wt: 176 pounds
Shoots: Right
Position: RW
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2022 first-year eligible
Rankings
- NHL Central Scouting: 45th (among EU skaters)
- Baracchini’s Top 128 May Rankings: Honourable Mention
Alex Sotek is a skilled winger known for his speed and ability to read the play. When the puck is on his stick, he has shown an ability to slow down the game to find open teammates while also demonstrating a willingness to drive the net to create a scoring opportunity. He was one of only four U18 players to dress in 40 or more games in the top-flight Slovakian league this past season.
To say Sotek had a busy season would be an understatement. In total, he played on ten different teams in five different leagues/tournaments, as he saw time in the Slovakia U-20 league, the Slovakia2 league, and the Slovakian top division while also representing his country at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup and the U-18 D1A tournament. His best portion of the season came with HK Poprad U20 in the Slovakia U-20 league, where he scored four goals and registered 14 points in seven games from September to October last year.
Unfortunately, Sotek was a very difficult player to scout because of the many teams he has played for. There is also the fact that when he was finally given a chance in the Slovakian top division, he was given under six minutes a game, according to the game sheets available. The positive of the situation, however, is that despite being 18, he was making a good impression to be consistently called up back to the Slovakian top division and even dressed in nine playoff games for HC Slovan Bratislava.
Related: 2022 NHL Draft Guide
One trait that plays in Sotek’s favour is his level of determination. He is a player that is drawn to the puck and wants to be the one creating the play. Fortunately, he has the skill set to match as he is strong on zone entries and has quick thinking in the offensive zone. He also possesses a good shot but needs to work on shooting at a more consistent rate.
What makes Sotek an intriguing prospect is that when playing against competition his own age, he thrives. At the U-20 level, he finished with a total of 31 points in 17 games. The production only becomes an issue when he starts playing against older competition. Now that he has some experience in the Slovakian top division, including playing in the postseason, there should not be the same issues when it comes to production levels in 2022-23.
Other THW Draft Profiles
Alex Sotek – NHL Draft Projection
Sotek will most likely fall somewhere in the late fifth to mid-sixth round. He has potential, but it is hard to determine exactly how well he played due to him constantly changing teams. Anywhere between 155th and 165th seems like a good projection of where he will be picked.
Quotables
“Sotek is a skilled winger who drives the play and creates chances for him and his teammates. He displayed very good vision in the offensive zone in this game. He created scoring opportunities for his teammates with quick one-touch passes, but he was also able to delay and wait for support.” – Miroslav Simurka, FC Hockey.
“Sotek is a skilled, offensive-minded winger who impacted the game in both ends. If his name should be in any draft conversation, he has to absolutely dominate at this level. He did. Sotek was head and shoulders above everyone, shift after shift in this game. His consistency to play with the puck and make the right plays all game was impressive.” – Miroslav Simurka, FC Hockey
Strengths
- Playmaking ability
- Speed
- Consistency shift to shift
Under Construction (Improvements to Make)
- Physical game
- Defensive zone play
NHL Potential
Sotek has a lot of skill and potential; the question is can he excel against older competition? Just based on the tool kit he possesses, he looks like a player that could play in the NHL, but he needs to produce in the Slovakian top division next season. That being said, he definitely has future NHL player written all over him.
Risk-Reward Analysis
Risk- 2/5, Reward 3.5/5
Fantasy Hockey Potential
Offence- 7/10, Defense 6/10
Awards/Achievements
- Hlinka Gretzky Cup Silver Medal: 2021
- Slovakian Extraliga Champion: 2021-22 Season
- U18 WJC (D1A) Gold Medal: 2022