Artyom Volkov

Aaron Vickers

Volkov is a smooth-skating defender with a good handle on the puck. He sees lanes develop
and can usually get his passes right on the tape, both at short- and long-range. He is great in
possession as he sees lanes develop on the breakout and in transition like a pro. He’s a smooth
skater, both forwards and backwards, keeping good gaps and looking comfortable both with
and without the puck. Has a physical edge, regularly throwing the body around. He won’t wow
you with his breakouts or his speed but he is smooth and calculated, getting the puck where it
needs to go and not overthinking things. He seems to have a good amount of hockey sense,
positioning himself well in all zones and never leaving himself or his partner in a tough position
defensively. He is a strong performer on the PK with his long reach and willingness to battle
opponents. He shows off a great shot, including a powerful and accurate one-timer. He is able
to get pucks through and on net. Although needing some polish and more explosiveness, he is
well-rounded and competes. Can be subject to watching the puck at times defensively and lacks
awareness in finding and closing off passing lanes.  (May 2015)