Prospect Info: At 19th Overall the Predators Select Fyodor Svechkov

[Scoresberg]

In addition to the goal, I think what's noticeable in that video is Svechkov's clearly improved skating.

Notice how his stride is a lot more powerful than before and as the F1 he gets in close with the defenseman and actually forces the turnover that leads to the goal.

He's never going to be the fleetest of foot but I think his skating is much improved from draft day - he can get in close and his shorter natural stride should ultimately translate well into smaller rink. His straight-line speed is actually what's been one of his clear weaknesses.

 

[Scoresberg]

 

[Scoresberg]

3 ginos in 3 games.

 

[nine_inch_fang]

3 ginos in 3 games.

That's a hell of a shot to beat the goalie clean from that far out.

 

[Scoresberg]

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

Hopefully these VHL playoff exploits don't inspire his KHL team to up the ante in their offers to him for next season!

 

[Scoresberg]

Svechkov with 2 points as his team takes 1-0 lead in the Finals. Svechkov now with 5 goals and 1 assist in 6 games.

 

[Scoresberg]

Svechkov adds an assist as his team moves within a win from the Championship.

7 points in 8 games against Men in the last two rounds of the playoffs. I’d say that’s quite good considering how difficult year he’s had.

 

[Enoch]

Excellent signs.

 

[BigFatCat999]

Now sign hiim.

 

[Scoresberg]

Svechkov is a VHL champion as Khimik sweeps the final series with 7-2 win.

 

[PredsV82]

Svechkov is a VHL champion as Khimik sweeps the final series with 7-2 win.

What level is that league equivalent to? Is tht a Russian version of Juniors? Or a men's league that is a cut below the KHL, so maybe between AHL and ECHL?

 

[Kat Predator]

What level is that league equivalent to? Is tht a Russian version of Juniors? Or a men's league that is a cut below the KHL, so maybe between AHL and ECHL?

VHL is their AHL level, as far as I understand it.

Juniors over there is the MHL.

 

[PredsV82]

VHL is their AHL level, as far as I understand it.

Juniors over there is the MHL.

Cool. Need to see how he does in our AHL next

 

[Scoresberg]

 

[PredsV82]

I can see him looking at all the other top prospects that will be in Milwaukee and choosing to make some money in the KHL for a couple of years while all those prospects get sifted. Not saying that's the right move, but I could see him thinking it

 

[nine_inch_fang]

I can see him looking at all the other top prospects that will be in Milwaukee and choosing to make some money in the KHL for a couple of years while all those prospects get sifted. Not saying that's the right move, but I could see him thinking it

He may want to make the jump to being a permanent fixture in the K before coming over. If he can be a successful top line guy there maybe he can jump straight to the NHL in a couple years. Could blow up on him though if he continues to get shuffled around because he hasn't committed long term to the KHL.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

I can see him looking at all the other top prospects that will be in Milwaukee and choosing to make some money in the KHL for a couple of years while all those prospects get sifted. Not saying that's the right move, but I could see him thinking it

I doubt he makes more money in the KHL. Chistyakov just established himself as a top-pairing D over there and got a contract worth 25, 35, 45 million rubles. 25 million rubles is about $300,000, and Svechkov won't be getting anything like that, he hasn't even made the KHL yet. Best he could hope for is about 10million? ~$125,000?

So when he signs his ELC with Nashville, he can get a $95,000 signing bonus, and $82,500 AHL salary. Yes, there are also more taxes. But that pretty much just levels things out. And then any callup cameos he might get would be pro-rated from a $950,000 ELC salary.

In his case, he's not getting more money in the KHL. But he might still have reasons to prefer to stay, who knows.

 

[predwings]

I doubt he makes more money in the KHL. Chistyakov just established himself as a top-pairing D over there and got a contract worth 25, 35, 45 million rubles. 25 million rubles is about $300,000, and Svechkov won't be getting anything like that, he hasn't even made the KHL yet. Best he could hope for is about 10million? ~$125,000?

So when he signs his ELC with Nashville, he can get a $95,000 signing bonus, and $82,500 AHL salary. Yes, there are also more taxes. But that pretty much just levels things out. And then any callup cameos he might get would be pro-rated from a $950,000 ELC salary.

In his case, he's not getting more money in the KHL. But he might still have reasons to prefer to stay, who knows.

Cost of living would be quite a bit less there also, so 125k here vs 125k there is a totally different animal.

I know we want him to come to the NHL to see what he can do in NA with our other prospects but honestly he seems like another Russian prospect we should've just stayed away from. Until he proves me wrong, I'm going to continue to believe that going after Russian prospects is just a waste of time and energy.

 

[nine_inch_fang]

Cost of living would be quite a bit less there also, so 125k here vs 125k there is a totally different animal.

I know we want him to come to the NHL to see what he can do in NA with our other prospects but honestly he seems like another Russian prospect we should've just stayed away from. Until he proves me wrong, I'm going to continue to believe that going after Russian prospects is just a waste of time and energy.

What does it matter if he stays there to develop until he's 23ish? It's not like playing in the KHL is far and away worse than the AHL. Rink size and playing style might be different but I'm not sure we should be That worried about it.

 

[Armourboy]

What does it matter if he stays there to develop until he's 23ish? It's not like playing in the KHL is far and away worse than the AHL. Rink size and playing style might be different but I'm not sure we should be That worried about it.

Well mainly because you have less control and aren't able to adjust even small things like day to day routine or maybe even diet let alone how he is used in games. There is a lot of benefit to having a guy here vs in Russia.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

Cost of living would be quite a bit less there also, so 125k here vs 125k there is a totally different animal.

I know we want him to come to the NHL to see what he can do in NA with our other prospects but honestly he seems like another Russian prospect we should've just stayed away from. Until he proves me wrong, I'm going to continue to believe that going after Russian prospects is just a waste of time and energy.

Point being, there is not some vast gulf of money-making opportunity in his case in KHL vs. here, like there was for Chistyakov. That alone shouldn't be the major influence on his decision.

He may well have family reasons, or just comfort level to want to stay there instead of Milwaukee. And either way, it's certainly smart to say what he did, so he can extract the best offer possible from his team there. No point in just coming out and saying he wants to stay, that's for sure, that would just guarantee lower offers.

Although if I was these young men, with the war and possible future conscription and all, hanging back in Russia would not appeal to me.

 

[predwings]

What does it matter if he stays there to develop until he's 23ish? It's not like playing in the KHL is far and away worse than the AHL. Rink size and playing style might be different but I'm not sure we should be That worried about it.

Multiple times we've seen guys come over from the KHL or other overseas leagues and need at least a year to acclimate to NA ice and rink sizes. He also needs to learn our system and such, so yes it does matter.

We drafted this guy in the 1st round, he's a massive asset at this point. If he's staying in Russia until 23, we definitely missed on this pick and just emphasizes it was not worth the time/energy to draft a Russian prospect and was a waste of a 1st round pick to add to the pile of issues.

Point being, there is not some vast gulf of money-making opportunity in his case in KHL vs. here, like there was for Chistyakov. That alone shouldn't be the major influence on his decision.

He may well have family reasons, or just comfort level to want to stay there instead of Milwaukee. And either way, it's certainly smart to say what he did, so he can extract the best offer possible from his team there. No point in just coming out and saying he wants to stay, that's for sure, that would just guarantee lower offers.

Although if I was these young men, with the war and possible future conscription and all, hanging back in Russia would not appeal to me.

Indoctrination into the Russian ideal/belief system is started at an early age. Any prospect we get, will have these exact same issues. Scouting is hard to do there. We have issues with the required military service. Especially if the player isn't well-liked by the government. We have issues where we pay them the same or less to play here for the AHL when they could make the same money playing at home with family present in the KHL. That's a lot of problems to deal with, if the talent isn't generational or a game-breaker, I don't see the need to try to draft a Russian player. I think Askarov might be the best story we've ever had with a Russian prospect, he only got here earlier because Putin considers him like a son and wanted him to go make it big in the NHL.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

Multiple times we've seen guys come over from the KHL or other overseas leagues and need at least a year to acclimate to NA ice and rink sizes. He also needs to learn our system and such, so yes it does matter.

We drafted this guy in the 1st round, he's a massive asset at this point. If he's staying in Russia until 23, we definitely missed on this pick and just emphasizes it was not worth the time/energy to draft a Russian prospect and was a waste of a 1st round pick to add to the pile of issues.

Indoctrination into the Russian ideal/belief system is started at an early age. Any prospect we get, will have these exact same issues. Scouting is hard to do there. We have issues with the required military service. Especially if the player isn't well-liked by the government. We have issues where we pay them the same or less to play here for the AHL when they could make the same money playing at home with family present in the KHL. That's a lot of problems to deal with, if the talent isn't generational or a game-breaker, I don't see the need to try to draft a Russian player. I think Askarov might be the best story we've ever had with a Russian prospect, he only got here earlier because Putin considers him like a son and wanted him to go make it big in the NHL.

What makes you think Putin considers Askarov "like a son"?

I don't think most of the younger generation is particularly "indoctrinated" into Putin's ideas. My work tends to involve some interaction with some Russians, and my limited experience anyway is that the younger generations tend to be more liberal/European in outlook, whereas it's the 40-50+ ones who still harbor more of a Cold-War persecution complex (some of it understandably) and therefore are more sympathetic to Putin's approach. Maybe that's a little different at other socio-economic strata, I don't know.

I think if there was going to be any issue getting Svechkov, he would have already signed in Russia. The parameters of NHL ELC contracts make it pretty simple for them to understand their options. And he has kept his open so far, making me think he's pretty likely to come here. I don't think the government cares much one way or the other. The KHL oligarchs do, just as a matter of their own business interest, they would rather not lose a prospect to the NHL. But at the Putin/government level, they probably don't even know who Svechkov is, let alone care what he does.

 

[Caser]

About the "options" mentioned there, his hometeam Lada is returning to the KHL and they stated that if Svechkov extends with Spartak they would like to have him on loan for the next season.