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Capitals select Russian defenseman Alexander Alexeyev in first round of 2018 NHL Draft

By Ian Oland

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June 22, 2018 10:59 pm

The Washington Capitals have selected Russian defenseman Alexander Alexeyev out of Red Deer Rebels with the 31th overall selection in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft.

Capitals assistant general manager Ross Mahoney announced the pick.

“[Alexeyev’s a] defenseman that handles the puck really well, moves the puck up the ice, and with their number of really good offensive forwards and the speed they play with, he fits in with the way they want to play,” an NBCSN analyst Craig Button said. “I would say he’s at least two years away. He’s not a physically strong person.”

The Russian defender just completed his second season in North America with the WHL’s Red Deer Rebels. He had 37 points in 45 games in 2017-18.

The six-foot-four, 200 pound, two-way defenseman is agile for his size and has sneaky quickness. Scouts say that he is just as comfortable in a run-and-gun type environment as he is in a more trap style, slow-paced system. His main focus should be on continuing to fill out his big frame and getting stronger.

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