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Alex Alexeyev named KHL’s Rookie of the Month for January, will play for Team Russia at Beijer Hockey Games

By Ian Oland

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February 2, 2021 11:34 am

Washington Capitals prospect Alex Alexeyev was honored by the KHL on Tuesday.

The Capitals’ 2018 first-round pick was named the KHL’s Rookie of the Month. Alexeyev scored four goals and tallied seven points during January 2021.

Via the KHL:

Best rookie for the first time was defenseman Alexander Alexeyev (Salavat Yulaev), who won eight of eleven games with his team in January. The D-man only recorded one negative rating in this span, ending January being plus-6. Alexeyev had 18 shots on goal, recorded seven hits, blocked nine shots, and logged an average time on ice of 18 minutes and 20 seconds. Alexeyev is the third Salavat Yulaev’s player to be recognized as the best rookie of the month. Before Alexeyev, other Ufa awarded players were Andrei Vasilevsky (four times in 2013-2014) and Alexander Pankov (2010 December).

During Salavat Yulaev’s final game of the month, Alexeyev scored a stunning breakaway goal in overtime giving Ufa a 3-2 win over Barys.

Alexeyev was recognized as the Salavat Yulaev’s player of the match with a giant fur hat, similar to the Capital’s Cobra Kai headbands.

The 21-year-old Alexeyev has scored eight goals and tallied 16 points in 48 KHL games this season, ranking him second among all defensemen on Salavat Yulaev (Philip Larsen 9g, 22a). He’s also sixth in points among all KHL players 22-years-old or younger. Fellow Capitals prospect Aliaksei Protas ranks tenth.

Screenshot courtesy of Elite Prospects

Here are some of Alexeyev’s best plays in the KHL this season.

Alexeyev was also one of 28 players to be named to Team Russia at the Beijer Hockey Games – a European tournament held in Sweden in mid-February.

The Capitals loaned Alexeyev to the KHL in September. Brian MacLellan had the option to bring Alexeyev back to North America when NHL training camps re-opened but ultimately opted to keep him overseas.

Headline photo: Elizabeth Kong/RMNB

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