Alexander Pashin
2019-20 Team: Tolpar UFA
Date of Birth: July 28th, 2002
Place of Birth: Priyutovo, RUS
Ht: 5’ 8” Wt: 154 lbs
Shoots: L
Position: RW
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2020 first-year eligible
Rankings
- NHL Central Scouting Final Rankings: 22nd (Among EU Skaters)
- Future Considerations March Rankings: 77th
- Larry Fisher’s April Top 350 Rankings: 28th
- Dobber Prospects Mid-season Rankings: 50th
- Josh Bell’s February Rankings: 46th
- Craig Button’s Rankings: 40th
It was at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup where diminutive Russian sniper, Alexander Pashin started to make a name for himself in the upcoming draft. It was an impressive showing for one of Russia’s star players as he was a major standout out for them, ousting Canada and winning a gold medal at the tournament.
Pashin dazzled offensively. It was hard to take your eyes off him. He averaged 1.60 points-per-game (P/G) while scoring seven times with eight points in five games. He was the difference-maker in that gold medal match, scoring twice including the eventual game-winner.
Despite his small stature (at 5-foot-8, 154 pounds), Pashin’s offensive instincts and creativity is a big part of what makes him such a special player. At 17 years old, he ranked fourth in scoring on Tolpar Ufa with 17 goals and 39 points, with 1.05 P/G. He’s able to get into the open areas of the ice, which allows him to be deceptive. With that vision, he can be in a prime scoring area and unload his extremely accurate shot. In addition, Pashin’s skating and hands allow him to be elusive and a major offensive threat, constantly generating scoring chances and making him a nightmare to defend against.
His offensive game is strong; he makes plays at such a fast pace while being in relentless pursuit of the puck. However, that could be his downfall as a prospect, as he tends to be a high-risk, high-reward player. Whenever he’s not near the puck, he tends to be less engaged. Furthermore, given his small stature, he can be knocked off the puck easily, but he never backs away from a challenge, and he always wants the puck on his stick.
Other THW Draft Profiles
Alexander Pashin- NHL Draft Projection
While Pashin has the offensive presence that could make him a first-round pick, his high-risk, high-reward style puts him in a tough spot. With this and his stature, Pashin is still worthy of being a mid to late second-round pick or even an early third-round pick. No doubt teams will be looking to find those diamond prospects in the later rounds.
Quotables
“Pashin displays excellent offensive skills. His close-quarter passing is top notch and his skate-to-stick transition when receiving passes is impressive as well. When it comes to firing the puck on net, Pashin has soft hands and a quick release. His combination of superior sense for the offensive side, skating ability, and his hands allow him to generate several high-quality scoring chances a game. As seen at the Hlinka and in the MHL, he can be a prolific goal scorer and his highlight reel will show several quality snipes and dangles. Pashin’s anticipation and positioning on the attack are sound, and he consistently displays the unteachable skill of hiding in the offensive zone, only to reappear exactly where the puck is going. Although Pashin is easily pushed off of pucks and he rarely initiates contact, he does not appear to shy away from contact and seems more than willing to take a hit to make a play, especially if he senses an offensive payoff.”- Steve Kourianos, The Draft Analyst
“Pashin is a puck-hound who is absolutely relentless in his objective to get the puck back to his team. When he has the puck on his stick, he can do great things with it. Pashin is a great skater with excellent quickness and edge work. He is also not a liability defensively. If you like hard-working players, it is hard to watch him play and not fall in love with what he does.”- Jokke Nevalainen, Dobber Prospects
Strengths
- Puck Pursuit
- Soft and Quick Hands
- Skating and Edgework
- Shooting/Quick Release
Under Construction- Improvements to Make
- Add Strength
- Physicality
- Engagement away from the puck
NHL Potential
If Pashin can be a consistent offensive threat, his ceiling could be extremely high. He has top-six forward, power-play specialist labeled all over him with the worst-case scenario being a third-line winger.
Risk- Reward Analysis
Risk- 4/5, Reward 4/5
Fantasy Hockey Potential
Offense- 8/10, Defense 7/10
Awards/ Achievements
Pashin was a key offensive contributor for Team Russia at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup winning a gold medal. In addition, he won a gold medal at the U17 World Hockey Championship in 2018-19.