Prospect Info: #19 OA - C/W Evgeny Svechnikov, QMJHL

[Roomba With a Bauer]

I think by the time Svech makes the NHL he will be a full-time C. If I am the Wings I am pressuring both him and his junior team to make that switch permanent.

 

[obey86]

Has Holland said if they see him as a center or a winger?

 

[mindfly]

Has Holland said if they see him as a center or a winger?

You have to be something special to be a 1C/2C in the NHL, I mean Sheahan is really good but he's struggling at 2C... I would guess he starts at the wing once he reaches the NHL atleast

 

[SpookyTsuki]

He would look good at Center if he pans out. (i dont think he will) But he is probably going wing.

Larkin
Svechnikov
Sheahan
Glendenning

that would look pretty good.

 

[Frk It]

You have to be something special to be a 1C/2C in the NHL, I mean Sheahan is really good but he's struggling at 2C... I would guess he starts at the wing once he reaches the NHL atleast

Well yeah, Sheahan is 23. Datsyuk wasn't a 2C at that age either.

 

[Pop147258]

What hf ranking will he get I am personally thinking 8.5d for winger and 8.0c for center

 

[Tatar Shots]

What hf ranking will he get I am personally thinking 8.5d for winger and 8.0c for center

8.5 is to high. 8.0 max and likely 7.5 C

 

[Shaman464]

8.5 is to high. 8.0 max and likely 7.5 C

Why too high? He has the talent to be a star, his stock fell because of an injury and the fact he's Russian. I would say 8.5C as a winger to 8.0B.

 

[Tatar Shots]

Why too high? He has the talent to be a star, his stock fell because of an injury and the fact he's Russian. I would say 8.5C as a winger to 8.0B.

His stock did not really fall because of his nationality. You could argue he should of went higher than the forwards the Bruins picked, but besides for that he is not clearly ahead of any of the other players drafted before him.

As for the rating, just look at how HF does there ratings and past ratings players have gotten and you will realize 8.5 is to high. 8.0 is on the high side for Svechnikov and 7.5 is the most likely rating.

 

[Shaman464]

His stock did not really fall because of his nationality. You could argue he should of went higher than the forwards the Bruins picked, but besides for that he is not clearly ahead of any of the other players drafted before him.

As for the rating, just look at how HF does there ratings and past ratings players have gotten and you will realize 8.5 is to high. 8.0 is on the high side for Svechnikov and 7.5 is the most likely rating.

HF board's ratings are not equal across the board, there are a lot of teams mods who severely overrate their players (I believe a couple years ago the Pens had 4 8+ d-men in their system). Then there are teams that severely underrate their players, like the Wings mods tend to. 8.5 is where a guy sits when he won't be a first team all-star every year, but in his prime will be discussed as a top 30-50 player in the league. I see Larkin and Svechnikov as both having that ceiling. Doesn't mean that either will reach it, but I think it's not out of the question.

 

[newfy]

I'm not sure why people think he'll be playing wing.He played center the last half of the season and thats when his production really took off, and he has said himself that hes going to play center going forward.

 

[Brandel*]

His stock did not really fall because of his nationality. You could argue he should of went higher than the forwards the Bruins picked, but besides for that he is not clearly ahead of any of the other players drafted before him.

As for the rating, just look at how HF does there ratings and past ratings players have gotten and you will realize 8.5 is to high. 8.0 is on the high side for Svechnikov and 7.5 is the most likely rating.

I would take him over Chabot ten times out of ten.

I'm not sure why people think he'll be playing wing.He played center the last half of the season and thats when his production really took off, and he has said himself that hes going to play center going forward.

Big difference playing C in junior compared to the NHL. His defensive game is not nearly good enough atm.

 

[Tatar Shots]

I would take him over Chabot ten times out of ten

I think he has higher upside than Chabot; but besides for the Boston forwards, I don't think he is clearly ahead of any of the other forwards.

 

[newfy]

Big difference playing C in junior compared to the NHL. His defensive game is not nearly good enough atm.

Thats the whole thing though, hes a prospect he isnt perfect. After only playing half a year of center I read that a lot of people were saying his defensive game was coming around quickly. Hes got the size and offensive ability to be a great center, he just needs to keep developing defensively, which will also just come with getting comfortable at the position.

Its not like Athanasiou who switched later and still looks mediocre defensively in the AHL, Svechnikov has 3 more years before making a push for the wings at center ice. He knows hes going to have to get better defensively because thats where the wings and himself see him playing long term

 

[SimplySolace]

Thats the whole thing though, hes a prospect he isnt perfect. After only playing half a year of center I read that a lot of people were saying his defensive game was coming around quickly. Hes got the size and offensive ability to be a great center, he just needs to keep developing defensively, which will also just come with getting comfortable at the position.

Its not like Athanasiou who switched later and still looks mediocre defensively in the AHL, Svechnikov has 3 more years before making a push for the wings at center ice. He knows hes going to have to get better defensively because thats where the wings and himself see him playing long term

Has this been established already? He's 100% going to be developed as a center?

 

[Cyborg Yzerberg]

Has this been established already? He's 100% going to be developed as a center?

I don't think so. Frankly, I'd rather him play wing. I recognize the log jam we have on wing and the anemia of our center depth, but that seems to be where he's best suited. So let him play to his strengths.

Svechnikov-Larkin-Mantha will destroy other teams.

 

[Anchor Town*]

I don't think so. Frankly, I'd rather him play wing. I recognize the log jam we have on wing and the anemia of our center depth, but that seems to be where he's best suited. So let him play to his strengths.

Svechnikov-Larkin-Mantha will destroy other teams.

Hmm, you must be thinking of someone else. He was better as a center than a wing.

You thinking of Athanasiou?

 

[Cyborg Yzerberg]

Hmm, you must be thinking of someone else. He was better as a center than a wing.

You thinking of Athanasiou?

I could be wrong, I'm not an expert on the guy. I've never seen him personally play outside of highlights. My impression was that he was better at wing, a natural winger, and he had a relatively small sample size as a center?

 

[Bench]

I could be wrong, I'm not an expert on the guy. I've never seen him personally play outside of highlights. My impression was that he was better at wing, a natural winger, and he had a relatively small sample size as a center?

The draft report said he really "came on" when he switched to center at the end of the season. I want to say about 30 games. That's what had everybody jazzed about the pick is that he seemed to thrive at center in his stint. But it is a pretty small sample size.

 

[newfy]

The draft report said he really "came on" when he switched to center at the end of the season. I want to say about 30 games. That's what had everybody jazzed about the pick is that he seemed to thrive at center in his stint. But it is a pretty small sample size.

Yep thats what it said. I read a quote around draft that he is moving forward at center as well next season. He played almost half the season this year at center and his production was way better when he was at center.

Theres no reason he shouldnt be developed as a center and thats where hes played best so far in his junior career

 

[Sentinel]

Well yeah, Sheahan is 23. Datsyuk wasn't a 2C at that age either.

Actually he was. Fedorov was our #1, with Iggy and Dats being 2A and 2B.

 

[Frk It]

Actually he was. Fedorov was our #1, with Iggy and Dats being 2A and 2B.

Wait, you are trying to refer to a 3rd line center as a 2B to make it seem like he wasn't a 3rd line center?

That's creative, but you are wrong. Datsyuk played 13:38 in 2001. That's actually closer to 4th line minutes dude.

 

[Zetterberg4Captain]

this kid could easily be the best of our entire bunch when it all shakes out

really pulling for this one to take huge steps just like larkin did

 

[Unfriendly Ghost]

The draft report said he really "came on" when he switched to center at the end of the season. I want to say about 30 games. That's what had everybody jazzed about the pick is that he seemed to thrive at center in his stint. But it is a pretty small sample size.

After leaving the MHL (Russia's junior league) for the QMJHL this season, he burst out the gate with an outstanding September (14 points in his first 7 games), but suffered multiple injuries that slowed him down considerably for the next few month. However, once he was healthy again, he absolutely crushed his last two months of the regular season, scoring 29 points in his last 16 games.

Pretty spiffy. He was playing center then, too.

http://canucksarmy.com/2015/6/23/nation-network-prospect-profiles-11-evgeni-svechnikov

 

[Run the Jewels]

It's good to see this isn't some wild project on Detroit's part, that he appears to be a legit center prospect. With that being said there's far too little data to this point to project him as a center. That was also the case with Athanasiou and it remains to be seen if he can play center. I think Athanasiou would be the perfect third line center, the issue is we don't have a clear cut #1 center. Larkin could be that guy but we really don't know and he may end up being a solid #2 at worst which would still be pretty awesome.

Based on today, this is sort of how I think things have the potential to work out.

1st line: Svechnikov-Larkin-Mantha
2nd line: Nyquist-Sheahan-Tatar
3rd line: Jurco-Athanasiou-Pulkkinen
4th line: Bertuzzi-Glendening-Ferraro

I think Athanasiou and Glendening are perfect in those spots. My big concern is you may be asking Larkin and Sheahan to punch above their weight in those spots. If that ends up being the case we are pretty much spinning our wheels as the scoring lines probably won't have enough fire power and as a result will need to be very strong defensively to give us any shot at being competitive. I really think Sheahan could be a very good power forward at wing where he has less responsibility. He could be the guy to replace Franzen but that ain't likely to happen at center.

The wild cards are Svechnikov - depending on whether he is truly best at center - and Holmstrom - who can't skate for **** but is looking very good in the SHL. If Svechnikov is good enough to be a high end scoring line center then that gives us a chance to move Sheahan to wing and potentially have a potent set of top 6 forwards.