LEARN MORE ABOUT ANDREI SVECHNIKOV
Svechnikov, 18, was ranked first overall among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting. Svechnikov registered 72 points (40g, 32a) in 44 games with the Barrie Colts of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) in 2017-18. He finished the regular season with an OHL-best 23-game point streak, earning 46 points (24g, 22a) during that span. The Barnaul, Russia native recorded 24 multi-point games and he was held without a point in just six games during the regular season. During the playoffs, he posted 11 points (5g, 6a) in eight games.
The 6'3", 184-pound forward won the 2017-18 CHL Top Prospect Award and was named OHL Rookie of the Year. After being taken first overall in the 2017 CHL Import Draft, Svechnikov won OHL Rookie of the Month four of the six times the award was handed out during the 2017-18 season. Svechnikov played for the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the United States Hockey League (USHL) in 2016-17, earning 58 points (29g, 29a) in 48 games and was named USHL Rookie of the Year.
This marks the fourth time in franchise history the Hurricanes have taken a player with the second-overall pick, having previously drafted center Eric Staal in 2003, defenseman Chris Pronger in 1993 and left wing Sylvain Turgeon in 1983.
Svechnikov becomes just the eighth Russian selected by the Hurricanes in the NHL Draft in franchise history and the first since defenseman Igor Knyazev was taken 15th overall in the 2001 NHL Draft. In addition, he is the eighth Russian to be selected first or second overall in NHL Draft history and the first since Edmonton selected Nail Yakupov first overall in 2012.
