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Svechnikov’s Red Wings Days Appear To Be Over

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The Red Wings aren't making a qualifying offer to RFA Evgeny Svechnikov. He'll become a UFA.

Evgeny Svechnikov’s time with the Detroit Red Wings looks to be done. The Wings have informed restricted free agent left-winger Svechnikov that they won’t be tendering him a qualifying offer. Players needed to be qualfied by 5 p.m. ET on Monday.

This means that Svechnikov will become an unrestricted free agent, able to sign with any team without compensation required to the Red Wings.

The Wings did indicate that they’d be willing to discuss signing Svechnikov to a two-way deal. However, Svechnikov’s agent Todd Diamond acknowledged that they would be testing the open market. NHL teams can begin signing UFAs on July 28.

“They let us know they will not be qualifying him at this time but are open to a two-way contract,” Todd Diamond said. “We’ll see what things look like (in the market) and regroup from there.

Drafted 15th overall by the Wings in the 2015 NHL entry draft, Svechnikov has scored five goals in 41 games for Detroit. He finished with career-high 3-5-8 numbers in 21 games last season.

Injuries Take Toll

However, his time in Detroit has also been hampered by a series of injuries. The worst was a damaged right knee that required anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction surgery. That cost Svechnikov the entire 2018-19 season.

“It’s been a while (for Svechnikov in the organization), he’s had a lot of injuries,” Diamond admitted. “He could have gotten a new opportunity last season. He played hurt. It didn’t happen.

“Maybe it’ll work out for the best and he’ll get a chance to compete with another team.”

Svechnikov played three games in the KHL for Ak Bars Kazan in 2013-14 but Diamond indicated that his client would prefer to play in North America. He also haven’t ruled out returning to Wings on the two-way if he doesn’t get a solid offer from another NHL organization.