San Jose Sharks Prospect Perspective: Alexander “Sasha” Chmelevski

Alexander Chmelevski ‘s perspective is part two of a series that will be highlighting some of the prospects within the San Jose Sharks organization.

Developmental camp this year is actually something to get excited about after a disappointing end to the regular season for the San Jose Sharks. With Team Teal lacking picks in the upcoming 2019 NHL Entry Draft it’s nice to remind ourselves that there are young players within the organization that deserve genuine hype. One of these standouts is 20-year-old Alexander Chmelevski.

The 6’0 187 pound forward who goes by “Sasha” got drafted in the 6th round of the 2017 NHL Entry draft by Team Teal. Hailing from Huntington Beach, California the young skater excelled in his 4th and final season of his OHL career.

During his time in the OHL he exhibited his ability to play in all situations while also producing a significant amount in the offensive zone. He compiled 75 points, with 35 of them being goals in 56 games during his 3rd season with the Ottawa 67’s, according to eliteprospects.

75 points isn’t particularly impressive by any means but if you consider that he plays heavy minutes on special teams and in the defensive zone his production becomes a little more appealing to professional scouts. Still there are plenty of moments where Sasha Chmelevski finds it appropriate to put his offensive arsenal on display. For example on Feb, 18th of this year the all purpose forward exploded with 5 goals in one game versus the North Bay Battalion.

This outburst showed that he can rack up monster goal totals despite his reputation of being a play driver. His 0.65 goals per game ranked 12th among forwards in the OHL, per prospect-stats. He did have a spike in shooting percentage, but otherwise has perpetually shot around 12% throughout his time in the OHL. Consistency like this is helpful when trying to analyze whether or not a prospects shooting talent can translate into the professional leagues.

While Alexander Chmelevski’s regular season totals are a good sign of progression, it’s his performance during high-profile tournaments that gets Sharks fans excited about the young forward. Chmelevski made a huge splash during the WJC-20 Tournament where he scored the 2nd most points and goals for the United States in 7 tournament games. His team went on the fall in the final round versus a blossoming Finnish squad scattered with talent but the budding Sharks prospect

The California native continued his strong play in big games into the 2019 Memorial Cup Playoffs. Chmelesvki recorded the 2nd most points during the tournament playing an integral part in the Ottawa 67’s deep run into the playoffs. His 31 points in 18 games gave him a 1.72 point per game pace and trailed only Montreal Canadiens prospect Nick Suzuki (1.75 PPG).

Alexander’s Chmelevski’s ability to step up in crucial games along with the development of his game in all the other areas of the ice makes this prospect someone to watch out for in San Jose Barracuda games next season. The San Jose Sharks AHL Affiliate offered Chmelevski a contract on April 3rd, 2018 and anticipate the forward to make an immediate impact on the roster.

The Barracuda lacked offensive firepower last season settling more for a possession heavy defensively sound game. However anticipate Roy Sommer to take a few more risks next year with players like Chmelevski making their way up the ranks of the San Jose Sharks farm system.