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Detroit Red Wings: A Lost Season for Evgeny Svechnikov

By Bob Heyrman

DETROIT, MI - MARCH 27: Evgeny Svechnikov #77 of the Detroit Red Wings skates up ice in front of Justin Schultz #4 of the Pittsburgh Penguins during an NHL game at Little Caesars Arena on March 27, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. The Wings defeated the Penguins 5-2. (Photo by Dave Reginek/NHLI via Getty Images)
DETROIT, MI - MARCH 27: Evgeny Svechnikov #77 of the Detroit Red Wings skates up ice in front of Justin Schultz #4 of the Pittsburgh Penguins during an NHL game at Little Caesars Arena on March 27, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. The Wings defeated the Penguins 5-2. (Photo by Dave Reginek/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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Svechnikov entered training camp as a fringe forward with a lot of potential at becoming a Detroit Red Wings top 9 forward this season.

Detroit Red Wings prospect Evgeny Svechnikov is going to be sidelined for the entire season with a knee surgery.  Svechnikov was expected to compete with Filip Zadina, Michael Rasmussen, and Martin Frk for a final spot amongst the forward group this season.

He did have an excellent showing throughout the preseason, and in many eyes, he was the front-runner of the group mentioned.  Michael Rasmussen was set to make the team due to the inability to send him to Grand Rapids.  It was Detroit or junior for Ras, so it was a foregone conclusion he was making the team out of camp.

Now after being scratched in Montreal things may change.  Detroit has a handful of games remaining before they need to decide if Ras if going back to junior or staying in Detroit before he burns the first year of his entry-level contract.  If Ras plays ten games, Detroit loses one year of his entry-level contract.

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Filip Zadina struggled to adjust to the pace of play.  It is a big jump from junior hockey to the NHL, and Zadina found out the hard way.  He is starting to get rolling in Grand Rapids and will be in Detroit sometime this season.

Martin Frk has been the 13th forward with Svechnikov injured.  I believe if Svech were healthy he would have outdueled Frk for this spot.  Never the less, Christoffer Ehn was a surprise addition to the Detroit Red Wings out of training camp, and if Evgeny was healthy, Ehn might have started the season in Grand Rapids rather than in Detroit.

Svechnikov may have been able to work his way in as the 12th forward, finally getting an opportunity to skate as a regular in the NHL.  After a strong camp and preseason, Svechnikov would have the misfortune of being injured.  The injury will sideline him for 6 months.

Per Helene St. James of Freep.com; Svechnikov underwent anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction on his right knee Tuesday. This, in turn, will stunt the growth of the young forward for a season.

It is a shame he won’t be able to better himself on the ice this season.  Svechnikov spent much of the summer working on the strength of his lower half.  He wanted to become a better skater and admitted to a vigorous couple months of training that included power skating and wind sprints.

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Next year Detroit will have a couple of openings up front that Svechnikov will compete for once again.  He will have an opportunity to see the game from afar this season, and hopefully, he will pick up on a few areas to improve on while rehabbing his knee.

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