Alexander Karpovtsev #52
Positon: Defense
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 210 lbs
Position: Defense
Born: April 7, 1970, Moscow,
USSR
Drafted:
Selected by the Colorado Avalanche in the 8th round (158st overall) of
the 1990 NHL Entry Draft.
Acquired: Traded by the
Quebec Nordiques to the New York Rangers for Mike Hurlbut on Sept. 7, 1993
Then traded to Toronto October
14th 1998!
Personal: Enjoys playing
tennis, fishing and playing pool ... Brother Andrei played with Moncton
(AHL)
Aerosmith is his favorite
band.
Scouting Report
http://espn.go.com/nhl/profiles/profile/0681.html
1997-98
Season
Missed 29 games with wrist injury
and surgery. Missed one game with throat infection.
The
Finesse Game
The strength of Karpovtsev's skating
game is best reflected in his terrific lateral movement. He covers acres
of ground with a huge stride and
a long reach, has excellent balance, turns nicely in both directions and
boasts
a fair amount of quickness and agility.
He has a quick first step to the puck. Karpovtsev has decent
puck-carrying skills and the good
sense to move the puck quickly, but displays the defensive defenseman's
mindset of getting to the redline
and dumping the puck into the corner or making a short outlet pass. Under
pressure behind his net he tends
to whack the puck around the boards, a play that often gets picked off.
Karpovtsev does, at times, show
a good instinct for seeing a better passing option than the obvious in
the
attacking zone. He has an effective,
hard shot from the point, and his accuracy has improved.
The
Physical Game
Karpovtsev is extremely strong and
is not shy about using his strength in front of the net or in the corners.
Battling for loose pucks, he will
move a player with a forearm shove, then grab the puck while his opponent
is
recovering from the jolt. He will
also throw himself backfirst towards a player, immobilize the guy against
the
boards, then recover quickly and
grab the puck. Karpovtsev plays toughest against the toughest players.
He
does not hesitate to get involved
if things turn nasty, and though hardly a polished fighter he is a willing
one.
He likes the big hit but doesn't
mind the smaller ones. A crease clearer and shot-blocker, Karpovtsev is
far
more comfortable and poised in front
of his net than when he chases to the corners or sideboards. Once he
gets away from the slot, with or
without the puck, he loses either confidence or focus or both, which can
lead
to unforced errors or turnovers.
Still, he is an effective weapon against a power forward. He can tie up
the
guy in front, lean on him, hit and
skate with an Eric Lindros.
The
Intangibles
Respect is a very important element
to Karpovtsev, who has made his play more than respectable with
perseverance. He can kill penalties,
work the power play and is comfortable with four-on-four play, but his
real value is the long, tough, bruising
nights he wages war with the Legion of Doom or any of the opposition's
top offensive threats. He is a battler
who has no problem with the "heavy lifting" assignments.
