Alex Suzdalev is lighting up the ECHL in his first full pro season in North America.
The league recognized Suzdalev’s hot start on Tuesday, naming him the ECHL Player of the Week after he recorded eight points (2g, 6a) in three games for the South Carolina Stingrays. The Washington Capitals prospect has 16 points (5g, 11a) in 13 games this season.
Stingrays forward and @Capitals prospect Alexander Suzdalev has been named the @ECHL Player of the Week! 🏒
🗞️ https://t.co/IE0hZOlczT#ALLCAPS #RaysIt pic.twitter.com/zAH60ZEjlC
— South Carolina Stingrays (@SCStingrays) December 3, 2024
Suzdalev led the Stingrays in scoring during their 3-0 week, kicking things off with his first of two three-point games (1g, 2a) against the Jacksonville Icemen. He then provided two assists against the Greenville Swamp Rabbits and finished the week with three points (1g, 2a) against the Orlando Solar Bears.
The 20-year-old forward has been a regular on South Carolina’s top line after the Capitals re-assigned him to the ECHL from the AHL’s Hershey Bears. Among players to have played at least 10 ECHL games this season, Suzdalev ranks ninth in the league with his 1.23 point-per-game rate.
THE RUSSIAN ROCKET SNIPES ONE
🚨 Alexander Suzdalev
🍎 Erik Middendorf
🍏 Blake Thompson pic.twitter.com/frDBJEduEj— South Carolina Stingrays (@SCStingrays) December 1, 2024
Washington drafted Suzdalev in the third round of the 2022 NHL Draft. He initially made the Bears out of training camp this year but only saw one game with the club before his move to South Carolina.
Bolstered by Suzdalev’s arrival, the Stingrays are 13-4-1 to start the 2024-25 campaign. They sit just two points behind the Florida Everblades for first in the ECHL’s Eastern Conference and first in the league overall.
