SASHA PASTUJOV / 2021 SCOUTING REPORT No 2
Position: LW/C
Stats: 16 goals, 14 assists, 30 points, 18 games played
Team: USA National Team development program
Commit: University of Notre Dame
Height: 6’
Weight: 179
DOB: 7/15/2003
Letter=how consistent the player is (A is best)
Number=gage of talent (1 is most talented)
RANKED:
Ranked #12 by DR. TEE SCOUTING
Ranked #26 by CONSOLIDATED RANKING
Ranked #30 by ELITEPROSPECTS.COM
Ranked #48 by FCHOCKEY
Ranked #22 by NEUTRAL ZONE
Ranked #25 by MCKEEN'S HOCKEY
Ranked #21 by RECRUIT SCOUTING
Ranked #32 by DOBBERPROSPECTS
Ranked #17 by DRAFT PROSPECTS HOCKEY
Ranked #23 by SMAHT SCOUTING
Ranked #30 by THE PUCK AUTHORITY
SCOUTING REPORT:
Welcome back to another Dr. Tee scouting report, made by Dr. Tee, and I would like to apologize for not making scouting reports, or really anything recently. But, I’m back on the grind, and for our first scouting report of the 2021 season I will be highlighting USNTDP stand out forward Sasha Pastujov, who has grown to be one of my favorite prospects of the 2021 NHL draft. I actually have a few players on the USNTDP players that I want to highlight, but I’m sure you guys are getting bored so let’s dive right in!
SKATING - 2A
Pastujov has a very strong skating game. He maneuvers around the ice swiftly, and with ease which helps him carry the puck up the ice, and in transition. He has great agility. He’s able to turn on a dime, and make quick adjustments to however the defense reacts to the play. He’s extremely well rounded in his skating area of his game as well. He can make unbelievably quick decisions, with unbelievably quick feet moving under him, that have really benefited him when making plays off the rush, and being deceptive in the offensive, and neutral zone. He can get low to the ice when driving to the net, or when keeping the puck in transition. And in my tracking you could really tell. Playing on a line with Dylan Duke, and Jeremy Wilmer, when they were on the ice and not including defensemen, he was carrying the puck in 36% of there offensive, and defensive zone transitions combined. That’s one heck of a good number I’ll tell you that. His low center of gravity, although pretty physically mature, helps him to make plays in the offensive zone as well. He’s kinda a poor man's version of Dylan Holloway when it comes to this. Despite having that physically structured skating style he can use, he more reminds of Thomas Bordeleau skating from last year's USNTDP U18 team, and this year's Michigan Wolverine team. He needs time to work on his explosiveness, but at the same time is very consistent with his skating, and at the same is a very good one.
PASSING + PUCK SKILLS - 1A
I have yet to see a player with better puck skills, and playmaking combined at a higher level so
this 2021 season. His elite agility, and footwork allow him to make quick plays in, and around the net. He drives offensive high danger chances unlike anybody I’ve tracked thus far, averaging nearly 20 pass attempts per game completing 90% of them, and averaging nearly 8 high danger pass attempts per game complete lung nearly 80% of them. He’s able to stickhandle in a phone booth, and is extremely deceptive. He’s able to act like he’s shouting before making a quick pass to anywhere on the ice. His high hockey IQ is what allows him to read the play quickly, faster than a lot of players on the ice,, and what also allows him to slow down the game opening up passing, and shooting lanes before they would usually open up. He’s playing chess while others are playing checkers, and is always a step ahead. He is very creative, and is just so good at all the little things that separate a good player from a great player. His vision, and overall offensive instincts help him to know where all his teammates are on the ice, and it makes it seem like he has a map of the ice in his head, and could make highlight reel passes tape to tape with his eyes closed. These are the skills that help make him one of the more talented players in this draft, and I can’t wait to see where this takes him in the future.
SHOT - 1B
Pastujov has a great shot. He has a very fast release, and can sneak the puck into areas where the people watching didn’t even know were there. It’s accurate, and has some mustard on it as well. He can get it off while in stride, and loves to shoot from the right dot where he’s most dangerous. Despite all this, what makes it so effective even when some may not agree with me with how good it is, is his ability to take the puck to the middle of the ice. There he’s most effective, and he’ll take a shot there whenever he has a chance. He’s able to maneuver his body in ways where he can easily get off a shot, and get it off quick so he’s giving as less time as possible for the goalie to adjust. Even though these might sound like things that every good goal scorer has, which they are, what really separates Pastujov from the rest of the pack is the way he uses it. He almost never takes a shot from out of high/medium areas as my tracking would suppose, taking 18/20 shots inside high, and medium danger areas. That adds up to about a 90% high, and medium danger shot rate. Meaning every time he shot the puck 90 out of 100 times it would be in high, or medium danger areas. He also averages 6.66 shots per game with around 5 to all of 6 of those being high danger. That’s even higher than
Alexis Lafreniere’s entire season worth of shots last year when he averaged 5.55 shots per game. And I get it, it’s only 3 games that I’ve tracked of him up to this point, but at the same time that gives him some pretty good numbers you can’t deny that. Pastujov is one of those players where you just can’t wait to see their end of the point totals, and I bet that he’ll even beat his last year's point total of 50 in 49 games, cause he’s already at 30 in 18 games, and nearly at 2 points per game!
DEFENSIVE PLAY - 2A
Pastujov is one of the best defensively sound wingers in this year’s draft. Another plus is that he can play center, which is probably the reason he’s as good as he is in his own end. The only reason he isn’t a 1 in this category is because there’s only so much a winger can do without not playing like a center. His high hockey IQ allows him to read plays with ease, and shutdown passing, and shooting lanes that would otherwise result in high quality scoring chances. He has great positioning, and is always dialed in. He doesn't often make mistakes, and is extremely consistent which is a big reason why the USNTDP has played extremely well. One more plus that comes with Pastujov’s defensive game is the fact that the puck is never in his own end for long. He picks off passes, clears his zone, and makes smart decisions with the puck. He could be a great second option penalty kill winger in the NHL, and maybe even a no. 1 option if he keeps progressing like he has. Overall, I see him as a very reliable defensive player with a very considerable amount of potential in his own end as a penalty killer, and on 5v5. Really, despite their major differences in playing style, looking at the impact they have in their own end I see him as a Dylan Holloway-like defensive player.
OVERALL - 1B
In conclusion, Pastujov still remains one of, if not my favorite player in this year's draft class. His offensive upside, hockey smarts, and two way game are some of the most well developed in this year’s draft, and I see him as one of the more sure fire prospects in this draft. I believe that his name has really hurt him, with Nick, and Michael Pastujov both being two players considered, “busts” that also happen to be his two older brothers. I can’t wait to see him play with Notre Dame next season, and I really hope that the players around him like Ryder Rolston, and Landon Slaggert don’t hurt his development, especially since those are two very gritty players. If I were him, I no I’m an NHL caliber player in 3 years max, so I’d say 1 year at Notre Dame if you don’t want to stick around for Maddox Fleming, and Rutger McGroarty, and then the AHL, or just stick around for Maddox Fleming, and Rutger McGroarty who I would personally love to play with.
Two way
High end offensive upside
PLAYER COMPARISON: NICKLAS BACKSTROM/MARK SCHEIFLE
Pastujov’s game is mostly reminiscent of two players: Nicklas Backstrom, and Mark Scheifle. Two players that have tremendous offensive instincts, hockey IQ, and great two way games. Like Pastujov they aren’t known for being speedsters, but possesses tremendous edgework, and agility. If I where to go brig with a comparison I would even say Patrick Kane. Like Backstrom, and Scheifele they have great dual threat ability, and can operate on special teams very well as well. I would say that Pastujov’s potential is around that of Mark Scheifle’s was well. Maybe a little less, maybe a little more but he certainly has the potential to get there, and score around 70-80 points in the NHL.