ST. LOUIS — A few of the extra glowing opinions popping out of coaching camp this previous September and October from Blues coach Craig Berube had been how good of a exhibiting Nikita Alexandrov had.
So good that these within the media masking the staff thought that Alexandrov had made the opening evening roster, which on the time, would have been a transfer no one initially of camp noticed coming.
Blues ahead Nikita Alexandrov (59) reacts after scoring his first NHL aim towards Jake Allen and the Montreal Canadiens final Saturday at Bell Centre.
Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports activities
However after a 6-0 thumping of the Chicago Blackhawks within the closing preseason recreation on Oct. 8, a recreation by which Alexandrov scored his second preseason aim, the middle was assigned to the Springfield Thunderbirds of the American Hockey League.
The adrenaline that had been constructed up took a deep plunge. Or did it?
Alexandrov, 22, as low key as any of the Blues skaters, truly took that information effectively.
There was no pouting. There was no anger, a minimum of not on the floor, however extra willpower than something.
“Every time I received the message that I received despatched down, clearly that meant that I wasn’t prepared for it but, so I went down with the perspective that I’ve received to go down there, work exhausting and play each recreation the correct means and hold enhancing my energy and my weaknesses,” Alexandrov stated.
It was the correct mindset, the correct perspective, though the Burgwedel, Germany native of Russian descent did not like the choice, and rightfully so. In spite of everything, who desires to take a step down if you’ve reached the head?
However Alexandrov would go to Springfield, play massive minutes, in all conditions and is now on his second recall with the Blues down plenty of wholesome our bodies.
“In case you play like I do within the AHL, lots of minutes, you’ve gotten the movement within the recreation and every thing,” Alexandrov stated. “Right here, I get restricted minutes however each shift I get on the market, I attempt to convey 100% and attempt to do good issues on the ice and assist the the staff and supply some power.”
When he initially was despatched down, Berube wished Alexandrov to concentrate on one explicit half to the sport.
“Tempo… taking part in with tempo,” Berube stated. “The sport’s quick, you have to play with tempo. That is not all the time simply your skating or something, it is simply taking part in with tempo, understanding the place you have to be, anticipating, all that sort of stuff and he does that now Earlier than, he wasn’t doing it. That is an enormous a part of the sport. I like his brains on the market, I like his physicality on the market and he is received good puck expertise.”
Alexandrov went to Springfield and had 4 targets and 4 assists in 9 video games earlier than being recalled in early November.
“He is much more assured, much more snug in his recreation,” stated Blues defenseman Steven Santini, a teammate of Alexandrov’s in Springfield the previous 12 months and a half. “He is beginning to lots of the soiled work too, like final evening going to the online exhausting, he is ending hits on the forecheck. It looks like he is all the time in the correct place now. He is simply maturing and crediting him for working exhausting and getting higher day-after-day. … He is taking part in the correct means.”
Alexandrov, who scored his first NHL aim this previous Saturday towards Jake Allen and the Montreal Canadiens, scored his second aim in three video games on Tuesday when the Blues overcome a 3-1 deficit to knock off Calgary 4-3 in additional time. Every aim was of the soiled, gritty selection, crashing the online and potting a rebound.
It is not the way in which Alexandrov was used to taking part in popping out of juniors when he was taking part in with the Charlottetown Islanders earlier than the Blues made him their high choose within the 2019 NHL Draft (second spherical, 62nd general).
Alexandrov averaged 21 targets and slightly below 49 factors per season with the Islanders in three seasons, then went to Finland to play for KooKoo within the Liiga League. He was counted on as an offensive ahead then.
“Once I noticed him out of juniors, I noticed a clean hockey participant,” Berube stated. “Easy. That is what I noticed and I noticed the talent. I noticed the puck expertise and issues like that, however tempo was an enormous factor for me.”
However the Blues weren’t excited by a one-way participant, they weren’t excited by Alexandrov to be a flash-and-dash sort of participant. They noticed somebody who might develop into his physique, somebody who might play bodily, forecheck exhausting and play a 200-foot recreation with relentless effort. It was positively a change.
“Simply sort of get used to it,” Alexandrov stated. “Clearly I rating means totally different targets than I did in junior. You need to modify. You haven’t any different means. You’ve got simply received to be the participant that they see in you right here.
“It was positively powerful on me. Clearly after I received drafted, they informed me immediately what they see in me. It begins from there. I had one 12 months in juniors after which I had one 12 months in Finland, one full 12 months within the AHL final 12 months. That is lots of time to get used to it. They gave me the time. They stayed affected person with me and I am grateful for that.”
Alexandrov performed in 9 video games with the Blues in his debut recall to the NHL and had an help however made himself recognized to not solely the coaches however his teammates. And when he received despatched again to Springfield, the sport slowed down for him. He nonetheless leads Springfield in targets (11) in 22 video games and is fourth in factors (18).
“I simply felt slightly extra assured in myself,” he stated. “Taking place the second time, I believe they actually preferred me earlier than after I was up right here. So I attempted to be assured, play my recreation.”
Nikita Alexandrov (59) chips a puck whereas being defended by Anaheim’s Max Jones in a recreation on Nov. 19 between the Blues and Geese at Enterprise Heart.
Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports activities
Now that he is been recalled once more, Alexandrov is discovering it extra naturally with each recreation. He is solely 14 video games into his NHL profession with two targets and two assists, however he is the anchor of the fourth line proper now together with fellow Russian Alexey Toropchenko, Tyler Pitlick and whoever else could also be their linemate till the Blues get wholesome.
“It is vital that he understands what his function is true now,” Toropchenko stated. “He is taking part in the correct means, easy recreation, exhausting from forechecks and fairly sensible.
“It is all about work. In Springfield, he labored his … he labored actually exhausting. Arduous work pays off. At practices, we keep longer to follow some performs from the corners, some rims, faceoff performs. He received higher and higher “In case you follow, you’re going to get higher. In case you do not do something, you’ll be in the identical place.”
Likelihood is Alexandrov will likely be despatched again to Springfield when the Blues get more healthy, nevertheless it will not be as a result of he isn’t NHL-ready. If something, the extra he performs, the extra he exhibits he is certainly changing into NHL-ready. And by accepting the function the coaches right here really feel he is able to embracing at this degree he’ll solely proceed to reinforce his standing.
“Clearly taking part in each recreation such as you’re supposed to assist lots and also you simply get used to it now. It is simply computerized,” Alexandrov stated. “I am attempting to be a aggressive man, being bodily, knocking guys off the puck. That is my fashion of recreation. I am simply attempting to do the correct issues. Clearly in case you do the correct issues, you get rewarded.”
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