DETROIT — The Red Wings have announced that they have signed 2015 1st round pick Evgeny Svechnikov to a three-year entry level contract. Svechnikov was recently assigned to his junior team, Cape Breton, in the QMJHL.
After an impressive rookie campaign in the QMJHL, the six-foot-two, 198-pound winger became the highest Russian-born draft pick in Red Wings history. Svechnikov had an impressive outing in the Traverse City Prospects Tournament performing at a point-per-game pace. Since being sent to the QMJHL, ‘Geno’ has scored six points in three games.
Svechnikov turns 19 years old on Halloween, so it’s highly likely that we will see him in Grand Rapids after his season in Cape Breton is done. Judging by the way he progressed through camp, he has all of the tools, and other tangibles to be an impact player at the professional level.
UPDATE: The #RedWings have agreed to terms with Evgeny Svechnikov on a three-year entry-level contract. pic.twitter.com/Ioy62V7OX1
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) October 2, 2015
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Svechnikov, 18, was Detroit’s first-round pick (19th overall) during the 2015 NHL Entry Draft at the BB&T Center in Sunrise, Fla., in June. The 6-foot-2, 199-lb., winger made his NHL preseason debut with the Red Wings on Sept. 22 at Chicago before returning to the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. In three games with Cape Breton this season, he’s picked up six points (3-3-6), a plus-four rating and recorded 15 shots on goal. As a rookie with the same team in 2014-15, Svechnikov finished third on the club and second among QMJHL rookies with 78 points (32-46-78) in 55 games. He led his team in points-per-game at 1.42 and ranked among team leaders with 32 goals (3rd), 46 assists (T1st), a plus-19 rating (2nd) 70 penalty minutes (5th), 10 power-play goals (3rd) and 183 shots (3rd).
The Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Russia, native tied for second on Cape Breton during the postseason with seven points (1-6-7) in seven games, helping the Screaming Eagles push the eventual QMJHL-finalist Quebec Remparts to seven games during their first-round series. Svechnikov was named to the QMJHL’s All-Rookie Team and also appeared at the CHL Top Prospects Game in January.
Svechnikov spent several seasons in Russia prior to coming to North America and made his professional debut by playing three games with Ak Bars Kazan in the Kontinental Hockey League. He also put up 27 points (14-13-27) and 68 penalty minutes for Ak Bars Kazan’s junior club, helping the team finish atop the conference during the season. The 18-year-old has represented Russia in international play on several occasions, most recently at the 2014 Under-18 World Championship in Finland, tying for the team lead with seven points (3-4-7) in five games. He also won a silver medal at the 2014 World Junior A Challenge and the 2013 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.
