Former Red Wings Forward Svechnikov Signing With KHL

At one time the top player chosen by the Detroit Red Wings in the NHL entry draft, Evgeny Svechnikov is returning to where he got his start in hockey. The journeyman forward will be signing a contract with Ak Bars Kazan, one of the top teams in Russia’s KHL.

It will be the first time since the 2013-14 season that Svechnikov is appearing on the ice in his homeland. He was suiting up for three KHL games with AK Bars Kazan in the KHL that season. During his hockey development he was also playing U16, U 17 and MHL (Russian junior league) hockey for Ak Bars Kazan.

Artur Khairullin saying Evgeny Svechnikov to Ak Bars #KHL 👀👂

— Hockey News Hub (@HockeyNewsHub) August 5, 2023

Svechnikov was the 19th overall selection of the Red Wings in the 2015 NHL entry draft and has played in North America ever since. His totals are including 41 games for Detroit from 2016-21 during which he was producing 5-7-12 totals. He was also playing 186 AHL games with Detroit’s top farm club the Grand Rapids Griffins. Svechnikov was a 20-goal scorer for the Griffins in 2016-17.

A serious knee injury requiring surgery for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction on his right knee wound up scuttling Svechnikov’s entire 2018-19 season. He tallied just three goals in 25 games for the Red Wings after that.

Svechnikov Signs With Jets

Let go by Detroit following the 2020-21 season, Svechnikov would opt to be signing with the Winnipeg Jets. He spent the entire season in the NHL, collecting 7-12-19 numbers in 72 games. Joining the San Jose Sharks last season on a one-year deal, the 6-foot-3, 207-pound forward was again spending the entire campaign in the NHL. Svechnikov would be accounting for 8-6-14 numbers in 59 games for San Jose.

[bet-promo id=”4002″ ]

The 26-year-old forward is comfortable playing either wing. Svechnikov is signing a two-year deal with Ak Bars Kazan, which will pay him 85 million Russian rubles, the equivalent of $886,571. He’ll get 40 million rubles the first season and 45 million rubles for the second year of the contract.