Andrei Pustovoy

Scouting Notes

Shows high-end speed for his size and has created a lot of offense at the MHL level. A constant threat on zone entries, he combines his skating ability with speed handling to attack defenders with pace and create opportunities off the rush. He can use his speed to create separation, force defenders to react, and open up space for himself and his teammates.

His playmaking is most effective when he is in motion and playing at a high tempo. This carries over to both the power play and in-zone play, where he has shown the ability to make plays and generate offense without slowing the game down. He is at his best when attacking with speed and using his skating to create options, but can become less effective when stationary.

There are times when he settles into the play rather than continuing to attack, particularly in more structured offensive situations. He would benefit from becoming more comfortable creating offense when the game slows down and making quicker decisions with less space. Needs to show more consistency in his ability to create from the point and contribute when the play is set up in front of him.

Defensively, his engagement can be inconsistent, particularly on the backcheck, where he does not always show the urgency needed to finish his routes and get back into the play. He has the skating ability to recover and impact plays defensively, but needs to make that effort more consistently. Improving his defensive habits and commitment away from the puck would allow him to use his physical tools more effectively.

Physically, he needs to play with more bite and become harder to play against. He has the size and shows flashes of good body positioning, using his frame to establish position and protect space when he chooses to engage. However, he does not always use those tools consistently and needs to bring a more assertive approach to battles and puck retrievals. Becoming more willing to initiate contact and use his size to his advantage would add another dimension to his game.

Overall, he is an intriguing offensive player with a high-end combination of speed, size, and puck-handling ability.