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Evgeny Svechnikov

West Notes: Blues, Sharks, Predators

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When the New York Rangers clinched the playoffs last night, thanks to losses by the Buffalo Sabres and Florida Panthers, there must have been some smiles on a Western Conference club, too. The St. Louis Blues will now receive a 2024 third-round pick as part of the Vladimir Tarasenko trade, instead of the conditional fourth that was initially announced.

The Blues now have ten picks in the first three rounds over the next two years, thanks to their trades of Tarasenko and Ryan O’Reilly. That gives them a chance to retool quickly, with considerable draft capital to flip this summer if they are trying to contend in 2023-24.

Mason Shaw Suspended Two Games

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3:05 PM: The NHL Department of Player Safety has announced that Shaw will serve a two-game suspension for kneeing Svechnikov. He will be eligible to return to the Wild’s lineup in St. Louis, when his team takes on the Blues on December 31st.

12:11 PM: After being ejected from last night’s game for kneeing San Jose Sharks forward Evgeny Svechnikov, Mason Shaw of the Minnesota Wild will have a hearing today with the Department of Player Safety.

The incident happened partway through the second period, and resulted in a five-minute major and game misconduct for the Minnesota forward. Shaw finished the game with fewer than eight minutes of ice time and will now likely have to sit at least one more game for his actions.

Shaw now has 49 penalty minutes this season, which is his first as a regular in the Minnesota lineup. The 24-year-old already flirted with the supplementary discipline line earlier this season when he hit Radim Simek up high, causing an injury. Since the league did not punish that hit with a fine or suspension, it should not be taken into account in this decision.

It is rather surprising that Shaw would be involved in an incident like the one last night, given his own history of knee injuries. Still, whether he meant to complete the hit legally or not, the on-ice referees conducted a video review and still gave him the major penalty. The league will likely see it the same way, meaning Shaw is expected to miss at least one game.

Evgeny Svechnikov, Dominic Toninato Clear Waivers

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Dec 7: Both players have cleared waivers and can now be assigned to the minor leagues.

Dec 6: Two more forwards have hit waivers today, as Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports Evgeny Svechnikov of the San Jose Sharks and Dominic Toninato of the Winnipeg Jets are available for claim.

The former’s placement is especially curious, given the Sharks just placed Matt Nieto on injured reserve today, recalling C.J. Suess to take his place. Svechnikov played a season-high 16:26 in the team’s most recent game, and has six points in 20 appearances this year. The older brother of Carolina Hurricanes star Andrei Svechnikov, the 26-year-old finally saw regular NHL action last season, playing in 72 games with the Winnipeg Jets and scoring 19 points.

Toninato, meanwhile, cleared waivers in October, but has spent enough time on the active roster to need it again if the Jets want to assign him to the minor leagues. The 28-year-old has played in just four games, registering a single point. Like Svechnikov, he too was a regular in the Winnipeg lineup last season, scoring 14 points in 77 games.

Both players come with cap hits of the league minimum $750K.

San Jose Sharks Sign Evgeny Svechnikov

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Sep 6: The Sharks have officially announced the contract, confirming only the term.

Sep 3: One of the better remaining available free agents has come off the board, the San Jose Sharks signing forward Evgeny Svechnikov to a one-year, two-way deal. Svechnikov’s agent, Dan Milstein, announced the signing. Per CapFriendly, the deal is worth $750K at the NHL level, which is the league-minimum for the 2022-23 season, and $350K at the AHL level. While Svechnikov was a UFA after the Winnipeg Jets failed to extend him a qualifying offer this offseason, the winger will once again be an RFA with arbitration rights this offseason.

The 19th overall selection in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, Svechnikov quickly became one of the more exciting prospects in the Detroit Red Wings farm system as the team began its rebuild. A smooth skating winger with size and an NHL ready shot, Svechnikov was to be one of Detroit’s foundational pieces moving forward. Though he’s made it to the NHL, things have not panned out as hoped. A dominant junior career lead Svechnikov to an AHL debut a year after being drafted, where the winger impressed with 51 points in 74 games as a member of the Grand Rapids Griffins. Unfortunately, that success didn’t translate to the NHL level, and Svechnikov would record just 12 points in 41 games with the Red Wings over four seasons. Svechnikov would also spend significant parts of two seasons with the Griffins, but failed to repeat on his 2016-17 breakout.

After the 2020-21 season, Detroit declined to qualify Svechnikov and he became a UFA. Much like this offseason, the former top prospect was unable to gather much interest and eventually took a PTO with the Winnipeg Jets, which he was able to turn into an NHL deal. The Jets gave Svechnikov his most consistent NHL look in 2021-22, getting him into 72 games. Now 25, the winger still was unable to take the step forward he and his teams had been looking for, as he scored just seven goals to go with 12 assists.

While it wasn’t the hope, and truthfully his performance may have simply been the original expectation, it was still clearly enough to allow San Jose to take a chance on him. He’ll be 26 at the end of October and though the production has never truly been there since his 2016-17 AHL performance, the rebuilding Sharks may hope to find a spark within Svechnikov, who did once upon a time have star talent within. For the player, on top of giving him a chance to impress and a fresh start, it’s also worth noting the deal carries a particularly large AHL salary of $350K and the San Jose Barracuda, the Sharks’ AHL affiliate share a city, meaning there should be increased stability regardless of which level he winds up in.

Snapshots: Ellis, Gallant, Svechnikov

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After two straight nightmarish seasons, the Philadelphia Flyers are desperate to return to contention in 2022-23. Last offseason, the Flyers acquired defenseman Ryan Ellis from the Nashville Predators, hoping that adding Ellis, a veteran top-pairing defenseman, would revamp their defense and help out young goalie Carter Hart. Unfortunately for the Flyers, though, Ellis’ health issues limited him to just four games in a Flyers uniform, and the Flyers in his absence struggled to keep pucks out of the net.

Now, it seems Ellis’ absence looks set to continue. When asked by NHL.com’s Adam Kimelman if Ellis would be ready for the team’s season opener, Flyers head coach John Tortorella responded “I doubt it,” and elaborated that despite Ellis’ best efforts it’s doubtful he’d be ready to even participate in training camp. Ellis is currently battling what he termed a “multilayered” issue involving his “whole pelvic region.” While it’s definitely possible that Ellis returns next season and gets into games with the Flyers, Philadelphia spent significant resources this offseason preparing to survive without Ellis. The team traded for and extended Tony DeAngelo to presumably partner with Ivan Provorov on the team’s top pairing, and they also signed Justin Braun to round out the right side of their defense. The Flyers are likely expecting to eventually see Ellis back on the ice, but unfortunately it doesn’t seem like that’ll happen any time soon.

Now, for some other news from across the NHL:

  • Forward Brett Gallant has played for the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters for the past six seasons, and now it’s been announced that he’ll be returning for his seventh year there. The Monsters announced today that they’ve signed Gallant to a one-year AHL contract. The physical Gallant, 33, is a veteran of nearly 500 AHL games and last played in the NHL in 2013-14. He had four goals and 98 penalty minutes in 53 games last season and has logged nearly 1,500 penalty minutes in his AHL career.
  • Despite finally playing a year as a full-time NHL-er last season, Evgeny Svechnikov is still without a contract for next season. The 2015 first-round pick played in 72 games last season and scored 19 points. Kevin Weekes of ESPN reports that Svechnikov has changed representation, and has joined up with Dan Milstein’s Gold Star Hockey agency, a group that represents a multitude of Svechnikov’s fellow Russian NHLers.

Free Agent Profile: Evgeny Svechnikov

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Once one of the more exciting prospects in hockey, Evgeny Svechnikov hasn’t fully developed into the talent the Detroit Red Wings were hoping for when they selected him 19th overall in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft.  Taken just after Mathew Barzal, Kyle Connor and Thomas Chabot, Svechnikov was expected to be a dynamic threat just like those three, using his size and natural offensive talent to create, and capitalize on, offensive chances. Unfortunately, the enticing skillset he brought didn’t translate to the NHL and now, at age 25, the winger finds himself, for the second time in as many years, a UFA after failing to secure a qualifying offer.

Growing up in Russia, Svechnikov made his way through the Russian youth hockey scene, eventually securing a spot in the AK Bars organization. He would play parts of two seasons with their MHL team and even made his KHL debut during his age-17 season. The following year, 2014-15, Svechnikov made the jump to North America, joining the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles of the QMJHL, where he immediately impressed, scoring 32 goals along with 46 assists in 55 games. After the Red Wings selected him that June, Svechnikov returned to Cape Breton, dominating again with almost identical numbers: 32 goals and 47 assists in 50 games. The forward made his professional debut that season, skating in two playoff contests for the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins.

Svechnikov didn’t look back, playing a full season for the Griffins in 2016-17, tallying 20 goals with 31 assists in 74 games, showing he was ready for pro hockey in North America. Frustratingly for both player and organization, that would be Svechnikov’s last true step as a prospect. The next season, he would record just 23 points in 57 AHL games along with four points in 14 NHL games, following that up with 25 points in 51 AHL games and zero points in four NHL games. The 2020-21 season wasn’t much better and that summer, the Red Wings would fail to qualify him, making Svechnikov a free agent for the first time in his career.

Now 24, Svechnikov received strong interest from the Winnipeg Jets organization, signing an AHL contract and a PTO that eventually became an NHL contract. The Jets gave Svechnikov his first taste of full-time NHL action in 2021-22, but the winger still couldn’t put together a season that reflected the promise he once had. Over 72 games in Winnipeg, Svechnikov had just seven goals and 12 assists. That campaign did show he could play a full-time role for an NHL team, but perhaps also served to prove he was not set to become the player he was projected to be.

Stats:

2021-22: 72 GP, 7-12-19, -4 rating, 38 PIMs, 78 shots, 48.8 CF%, 10:45 ATOI

Career: 113 GP, 12-19-31, -10 rating, 58 PIMs, 125 shots, 49.3 CF%, 10:40 ATOI

Potential Suitors:

Finding a good fit for Svechnikov seems tricky. One aspect to consider is what does he bring to the table, and what is its value? At 25, he’s still relatively young and fresher than some of the veteran options that remain. Despite being fairly young relative to the other options, he still comes with experience, skating in 113 NHL games, as well as 186 in the AHL. Unlike many other players with his age and experience, Svechnikov brings his former prospect status. In other words, not too long ago, he had a ceiling higher than this. Almost 26, it’s rather unlikely he manages to hit or approach that ceiling, but he could still have a chance to bounce back to some extent and produce more than he has. Still, after his 51 points in 74 AHL games in 2016-17, he hasn’t been able to come close to replicating the production in the NHL or AHL.

Something worth considering is how little opportunity it seems Svehnikov has had when he does get on the ice in the NHL. Looking more closely at his career, Svechnikov has just 125 shots on goal. Granted, he’s only skated in 113 games, but it would be difficult to score at a high-rate when not shooting at a high-rate. It would also be difficult to shoot at such a rate, when averaging just 10:40 of time-on-ice, like Svechnikov has in his career. His 10:45 of time-on-ice and 78 shots in 2021-22, his only full season in the league, are fairly consistent with that of the rest of his career. Difficult, but fair: if Svechnikov can’t prove he can produce, he also won’t see those opportunities either.

Returning to the issue of where Svechnikov fits best, the answer might be a team looking for a diamond-in-the-rough talent, but also willing to give him the time and opportunity to succeed. Most teams won’t be able to justify giving a player with 31 points in 113 games those sorts of minutes, and those that may have them available could choose to give them to younger players who still hold their prospect status, leaving Svechnikov in a difficult state of limbo. One fit could be the Chicago Blackhawks, who appear committed to let their young players to develop in other leagues and have veterans hold the line for now. With the organization committed to the rebuild, they could be in a place to give Svechnikov some extra opportunities to prove his value.

Projected Contract:

Last offseason, Svechnikov signed a PTO with the Winnipeg Jets, earning a league minimum contract that he signed just prior to the start of the regular season. Over a month into free agency, it would appear Svechnikov is headed down that road once again. If he is offered a contract, whether that be in lieu of a PTO or afterwards, chance are it will not only be at the league minimum of $750K, but will be a two-way deal, much the same as it was this season.

Evgeny Svechnikov Signs With Winnipeg Jets

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The Winnipeg Jets have signed depth forward Evgeny Svechnikov to a one-year, two-way contract according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. The deal will carry an NHL salary of $750K and an AHL salary of $215K. Svechnikov had attended Jets camp on a professional tryout after signing an AHL deal, but has earned his way onto the opening night roster. Winnipeg has assigned Ville Heinola to the Manitoba Moose to make room.

Svechnikov, 24, is not to be confused with his brother in Carolina. This forward was also selected in the first round, but his career to this point has been marred by injury and inconsistency. In 2020-21 he played the most NHL games of his career, suiting up 21 times with the Detroit Red Wings, but failed to receive a qualifying offer from the team in the summer. The two sides split and Svechnikov will now try to reinvent himself in Winnipeg.

Over 41 career games, the 6’3″ forward has scored five goals and 12 points, though those have come in very limited minutes. He still provides a bit of upside, but it’s hard to expect any player his age to really make the leap and make a real impact. More likely is that Svechnikov becomes useful depth for a team already loaded with talented forwards and plays spot duty throughout the year.

One thing to note is that if the Jets decide to send him to the minor leagues, he’ll have to clear waivers. Signing him after the season started helped with their LTIR calculation–Bryan Little has been moved there and will not play this season–but it also means they missed a chance to sneak him through with the other hundred players cut at the end of training camp. He’ll stick out, and there is at least some chance Svechnikov would be claimed by another team hoping to unlock his unfulfilled potential.

West Notes: Coyotes, Nylander, Svechnikov

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While it was a successful tryout for Coyotes forward Alex Galchenyuk who inked a one-year deal for the league minimum salary earlier this week, the news got worse fairly quickly.  Craig Morgan of PHNX Sports reports (Twitter link) that the 27-year-old is listed as week-to-week with an upper-body injury.  Galchenyuk split last season between Ottawa and Toronto, notching 13 points in 34 games and was pushing for a regular spot in Arizona’s lineup to start the season.

Meanwhile, in that same report, Morgan adds that blueliner Kyle Capobianco is also listed as week-to-week due to a lower-body injury.  The 24-year-old had a chance at landing a spot on the opening roster for the Coyotes after spending most of last season in the minors where he had 13 points in 20 games with AHL Tucson.  Instead, Capobianco will also be starting the year on injured reserve.

More from the Western Conference:

  • Alexander Nylander’s stock has certainly fallen since the 23-year-old was selected eighth overall by Buffalo back in 2016 but it could be dipping even more as Scott Powers of The Athletic suggests (subscription link) that Nylander is a likely candidate to be waived by the Blackhawks after a disappointing training camp. Powers suggests that Arizona is a team that could have interest in Nylander, who missed all of last season due to knee surgery after recording 10 goals and 16 assists in 65 games in 2019-20.
  • While he has an AHL contract in hand, Jets winger Evgeny Svechnikov is expected to be converted to an NHL two-way deal in the coming days, reports Sportsnet’s Ken Wiebe. The 24-year-old impressed in the preseason with four points in five games – good for third on Winnipeg – which still has him in the mix to earn a spot at the end of the roster to start the regular season.  Svechnikov had eight points in 21 games with Detroit last season before clearing waivers in early April.

Evgeny Svechnikov Signs AHL Contract

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The Manitoba Moose have signed free agent forward Evgeny Svechnikov to a one-year, AHL contract for the 2021-22 season. While that may be surprising to many after his history in the NHL, there’s more to the story. Sportsnet contributor Ken Wiebe reports that Svechnikov will attend Winnipeg Jets training camp on a professional tryout and will be given an opportunity to earn a two-way NHL contract should he prove healthy enough.

Svechnikov, 24, was not tendered a qualifying offer from the Detroit Red Wings earlier this summer, making him an unrestricted free agent. That was a far fall for a player selected 19th overall in 2015, but a not totally unexpected one after so many injuries. The young forward has just 41 games of NHL experience under his belt, 21 of which came this past year, and has scored just five goals so far.

That doesn’t mean his career is over though. If Svechnikov can prove he’s fully healthy and ready to contribute, there’s no doubt that his talent level deserves an NHL contract. If he doesn’t earn that NHL deal and instead spends the year with the Moose, he’ll still be a very interesting player to watch. Should he stay healthy and productive, he’ll be an unrestricted free agent again next offseason looking for a new deal and new opportunity.

Jets Interested In Evgeny Svechnikov

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The Jets will need to add some low-cost depth to their system in the hopes of giving themselves a little bit of salary cap flexibility by carrying some minimum-salary players and it appears that one of the players they’re eyeing is winger Evgeny Svechnikov.  Sportsnet’s Ken Wiebe is among those to report (Twitter link) that there is mutual interest between Winnipeg and the 24-year-old though no agreement is in place yet.

Svechnikov was the 19th-overall pick by Detroit back in 2015 but has seen his stock drop steadily since his rookie professional season where he had 51 points in 74 games.  He missed all of 2018-19 due to a knee injury and has had trouble staying in the lineup since then as well.

Last season, Svechnikov cleared waivers in training camp but wound up only playing in four games with AHL Grand Rapids where he had a goal and an assist.  Instead, he split the season between the Red Wings and their taxi squad, getting into 21 NHL contests where he had a respectable five goals and three assists despite averaging less than 12 minutes a game in ice time.  However, Detroit declined to tender him a qualifying offer last month, making him an unrestricted free agent.

With Winnipeg currently being very tight to the salary cap (even with Bryan Little’s LTIR room), the Jets will need to have some cheaper players to call upon in case of injury.  Svechnikov would certainly fit the bill and with the flashes of upside he has periodically shown with Detroit, he’s someone that likely would get a long look in training camp if they can get an agreement in place.

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