Andrei Loshko
2022-23 Staff: Chicoutimi Saguenéens
Date of Delivery: Oct. 7, 2004
Place of Delivery: Zhlobin, Belarus
Top: 6-foot-1, Weight: 170 kilos
Shoots: Left
Place: Proper Wing
NHL Draft Eligibility: first-year draft eligible
Rankings
Andrei Loshko is a Belarusian ahead who’s spent the final two seasons with Chicoutimi Saguenéens within the Quebec Main Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). He was the workforce’s main scorer this previous season, ending with 70 factors (22 targets and 48 assists) in 67 video games.
Associated: 2023 NHL Draft Information
Loshko is an intriguing and enjoyable prospect who may very well be one of many higher picks on Day 2 of the draft. He’s an excellent skater with a comparatively broad offensive toolkit. Although he’s extra of a playmaker, he has an underrated shot with a fast launch and good accuracy. He additionally has a smooth set of arms and makes use of his stickhandling to create scoring possibilities.
One other standout of Loshko’s sport is hockey IQ or hockey sense, whichever means you wish to phrase it. He performs a stable two-way sport with good positioning and places within the effort backchecking. That’s not one thing groups at all times get with late-round picks, in order that’s a bonus he has working in his favor.
One factor Loshko wants to enhance is attending to high-danger areas extra usually. He does it sometimes and often has success when he does, however he’ll have to go to these areas extra usually as he works up the professional ranks. His skating is a plus, because it seems to be like he’ll be a participant who can generate possibilities off the frenzy if he does make it to the NHL.
Regardless that he’s solely 170 kilos, he has good measurement at 6-foot-1 and has loads of room to fill out as he continues to develop. The instruments are already there, so it’ll be fascinating to see what sort of participant he turns into as soon as he matures and begins including extra energy to his body.
Different THW Draft Profiles
Andrei Loshko — NHL Draft Projection
Whereas Loshko is an intriguing prospect, he’s definitely a mission transferring ahead. Regardless that he’s one of many older gamers on this draft, having an Oct. 2004 birthdate, he’s definitely worth the gamble later within the draft. Anticipate him to come back off the board in some unspecified time in the future within the third or fourth rounds.
Quotables
“Loshko, a left-shot heart, exhibits nice puck management skill and he makes use of his fast arms when working his shot launch. As a pivot, he exhibits very valued positional IQ and at all times has the center and energy on forechecks and backchecks irrespective of the state of affairs of the sport. He tends to point out nice endurance when studying performs to get into place, nevertheless he will be seen coasting when doing so.” – Mitchell Skilton, FC Hockey
Newest Information & Highlights
“Andrei Loshko (N/A) usually appeared misplaced final yr, struggling to maintain up with the tempo. This yr, the Belarusian ahead is producing at extra a point-per-game tempo with Chicoutimi. It simply seems to be he hit a change early within the season and managed to at all times be in the proper place on the proper time. He’s affected person, makes sensible choices with the puck and the numbers are beginning to present in his favor. Search for Loshko to land someplace within the third spherical.” – Steven Ellis, Day by day Faceoff
“Loshko is a highly-interesting prospect with legit expertise. He’s bought respectable measurement, he has glorious puck expertise and offensive creativity and skates fairly nicely too. In his finest moments, he can embarrass defensemen together with his ability whereas additionally doing so with a professional tempo. I wouldn’t describe these moments as constant, although. Loshko can play an excessive amount of on the perimeter and I want to see a little bit extra pure playmaking in him. I see a participant who could make it, although, if some issues go proper and is value a big gamble.” – (From ‘2023 NHL Draft rating: Connor Bedard leads Corey Pronman’s tiers of the highest 142 prospects’ – Corey Pronman (The Athletic), 5/30/2023)
Strengths
- Shot/fast launch
- Playmaking
- Hockey sense
- Two-way sport
- Skating
- Stickhandling
Below Building — Enhancements to Make
- Energy
- Much less perimeter sport, getting inside extra usually
- Consistency to his offensive sport
NHL Potential
If Loshko continues on an upward trajectory, he might make it as a middle-six winger within the NHL. Although he’s performed each heart and proper wing, he’s primarily been a winger in juniors, which is the place he’ll seemingly settle in as a professional.