Evgeny Svechnikov is a big, strong and skilled forward eligible for the 2015 draft. He is ranked No. 15 on the latest Craig Button list and he’s rising in many quarters. The young Russian is absolutely a quality prospect.
We have lots of time before the draft (and Bob McKenzie’s final list) but I believe Svechnikov is a player who will surprise many with his final number.

SCOUTING REPORTS

  • Elite Prospects: Incredibly skilled offensive winger. Has a remarkably accurate shot to
    go along with some magic hands. Could be better defensively, but his
    game is based around his acute sense of what is happening on the ice in
    the offensive zone. All-in-all, a deadly player who possesses good size,
    elite-level skill, and smooth skating.Source
  • NHL Equivalency: 82GP, 13-20-33
  • Mike Morreale, NHL.com: The power forward has good hockey sense and a big shot. At 6-2 and 199
    pounds, Svechnikov considers his game similar to that of Pittsburgh
    Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin. He is second on Cape Breton in scoring
    in his first season in North America. Source
  • Adam Kimelman, NHL.com: The 6-2, 199-pound forward showcased
    top-end offensive skills in his first North American season and shows
    promise for more. A strong skater and creative with the puck. Source
  • Coach Marc-Andre Dumont: “His offensive hockey sense is outstanding, as well as his shot. Both are equal assets. He’s got an amazing wrist shot and
    one-timer, but he’s also able to distribute the puck tremendously well.”     Source

WHERE WILL HE GO?

There are a few factors when it comes to discussing Evgeny Svechnikov. He’s Russian and that will impact his draft number (the total for Russians drafted has been trending down since the rise of the KHL) unless NHL teams believe signing these young prospects will be easier from now on.
Second, he’s big, strong and has good speed. That’s a very good resume, and adding good boxcar numbers from the QMJHL (a very good league full of quality prospects) can only help.
He scored 32 goals in 55 games and because of an an early birth date (October 1996) there may be teams who believe Svechnikov (like fellow QMJHLer Timo Meier) may be closer to NHL-ready than most of his draft class.
Button has Svechinkov inside the top 15 now, McKenzie had him No. 21 mid-season. That’s probably a reasonable range of expectation for draft day, although some teams may like him more because of the items mentioned above.

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