Svechnikov Ready for NHL Debut

"Svech is ready," is something Andrei Svechnikov
would tell Barrie Colts head coach Dale Hawerchuk
before hitting the ice.
Has Svechnikov relayed that same message to Carolina Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind'Amour?
"Not yet," he smiled. "I will later."
Rest assured, he's ready.

Svechnikov, selected second overall in the 2018 NHL Draft, will make his NHL debut tonight, as the Hurricanes open their 2018-19 regular season against the New York Islanders.
"I think it will be fun," he said. "I'm just super happy. It's my dream come true."
Instagram from @andrei\_svechnikov37: Been waiting for this my whole life #TakeWarning
"His talent speaks for itself. It's good to be nervous a little bit," said Jordan Martinook, who will be skating opposite Svechnikov's wing. "Enjoy it. Take it all in. It goes by really fast - well, it might not go by as fast for him because he's probably going to play about 23 years. It's a lot of fun. Embrace it. Hopefully I can help him get on the scoresheet."
Martinook has been there - it was Dec. 6, 2014, to be exact, when the Arizona Coyotes faced the Boston Bruins.
"I played against Simon Gagne. He was one of my favorites growing up," Martinook said. "Just taking it all in. At the end of the day, you get home, you're brushing your teeth at night and you say, 'Wow, I just played in the NHL.' It's a pretty cool feeling."
GAME PREVIEW | PROJECTED LINEUP
Svechnikov said he received similar advice from his brother, Evgeny, who made his NHL debut with Detroit in April 2017.
"He talked with me," said Svechnikov, who will have his mother in attendance for his debut tonight. "Have fun, just enjoy the game."

Brind'Amour, whose Opening Night lineup skews young, knows what to expect from an aggressive, offensive player like Svechnikov.
"We expect them to make mistakes. That's OK. You've just got to go play," he said. "The worst thing you can do is be worrying about a mistake and make it. Go make it, and we'll tell you about it after. If we can have that mindset really throughout the whole lineup, play on your toes, go for it and we'll talk about the mistakes later, if there are any. You certainly don't want to be timid and sitting back."
Svechnikov included, the Hurricanes' Opening Night lineup boasts 11 faces that weren't dressed at this time last season, and seven of those 11 players will be making their Hurricanes' debuts. Butterflies for all involved, even those who have been through this once or twice.
"Always. Every year. Usually, the crowd is really into it," Martinook said. "You do your stuff before the game, and everybody gets pretty jacked up. Especially for me coming to a new team, it's going to be really exciting. I'm just looking forward to it."
The wait is over. Mere hours remain until puck drop. Svech is ready, and so are the Canes.
"I'm excited for the guys. They've worked hard," Brind'Amour said. "Playing for real - it really matters. They're excited to show what they can do."