A strong, defensive-minded defenseman who plays to his strengths. Sidorov is highly effective at eliminating opportunities defensively and then moving the puck out of the zone without hesitation. He is a solid skater who really has good speed, both going forward and in reverse. His transitions and turns are where attackers can beat him with their speed, however. He is solid at carrying the puck and is a calming presence when he holds possession. He doesn’t get fancy but makes the smart and efficient plays to get the puck up ice or move it around the offensive zone. He has a strong first pass and can hit streaking forwards at distance. Has a booming shot from the point that he blasts low and on net through traffic. He typically defends the rush well and doesn’t allow much past him. He’s not an overly imposing defenseman but plays physical when opponents try to set up shop in front of his netminder or in one-on-one puck battles. He reads the defensive zone well and knows when to step up or hang back and isn’t deceived by creativity or quickness. Helps limit second chances and is good at retrieving pucks and transitioning the play. He likes to use both his body and the stick to get the puck away from opposition. Good character player who always gives his 100 per cent. Great decision making. (May 2015)