By the Numbers Prospects: Evgeny Svechnikov

By the Numbers will highlight the on-ice accomplishments in the 2019-20 season for the Detroit Red Wings' prospects. Twice a week during the offseason, By the Numbers Prospects will profile a different player in the system, focusing on his statistical highs. This week we focus on forward Evgeny Svechnikov.

It is never an easy thing to come back from a major knee injury.

Forward Evgeny Svechnikov was playing well in the 2018 preseason until he hurt his right knee in the final exhibition game against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

At first, Svechnikov tried to get treatment in the hopes he could continue to play, but the doctors determined that he would need complete reconstruction of his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).

Following surgery, Svechnikov worked to try to get back for some spring games, but his knee was not recovered enough for him to do so.

Svechnikov spent the offseason in rehabilitation, living with Dylan Larkin and training at Barwis Methods.

Last fall, Svechnikov was ready from a physical standpoint, although he did have to wear a knee brace while playing, but being off for such a long time can take its toll.

The 6-foot-3, 208-pound forward spent most of the season with the Grand Rapids Griffins, the Red Wings' AHL affiliate, but did have a brief call-up with Detroit early in the season.

Svechnikov, 23, is a very affable young man who is also community-minded.

When the pandemic hit, he and his younger brother, Andrei, a a star forward for the Carolina Hurricanes, were looking for a way to give back.

Then two dams failed in Midland, Mich., causing massive flooding and damage throughout the area.

Evgeny decided to send 25 kegs of hand sanitizer and 2,500 KN95 masks to the United Way of Midland County while Andrei delivered a similar donation to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Wake County in North Carolina.

Entering the 2020-21 season, Svechnikov knows it is a pivotal year as he is no longer waiver-eligible.

His goal is to earn a roster spot with a young team, contribute regularly and and eventually face off Andrei in a regular-season NHL game.

4 - Svechnikov played in four games with the Wings this past season, from Oct. 22-27, against the Vancouver Canucks, Ottawa Senators, Buffalo Sabres and St. Louis Blues.

12:16 - On Oct 23 against the Senators, Svechnikov played a season-high 12:16 during 17 shifts.

51 - By contrast, Svechnikov played the bulk of his season - 51 games -- with the Grand Rapids Griffins. Dominic Turgeon led the team with 63 games.

11 - In those 51 games, Svechnikov scored 11 goals, tied with rookie Joe Veleno for third-most on the Griffins. Chris Terry led with 21 goals and Matt Puempel was second with 17.

6 - Svechnikov showed off some prowess on the power play with six of his 11 goals coming with the man-advantage, tied with Puempel for second on the team in that category. Terry led with 11 power-play goals.

14 - Svechnikov also handed out 14 helpers, tied with another rookie, Chase Pearson. Terry led with 30 assists, Joe Hicketts was second with 25 and Taro Hirose and Puempel were tied with 22 apiece.

5 - From Feb. 8-18, Svechnikov recorded points in five straight games, with 5-3-8 in that span. On Feb. 8, he had two goals against the Texas Stars; on Feb. 9, he had a goal and two assists against the Stars; on Feb. 11, he had a goal against the Monsters in Cleveland and then on Feb. 14, he had a goal against the Monsters at home; and on Feb. 18 at Rockford, he assisted on a goal against the IceHogs.

61 - Svechnikov racked up 61 penalty minutes in his 51 games, third on the Griffins. Givani Smith led with 75 penalty minutes while Dylan McIlrath was second with 73.

108 - With 108 shots, Svechnikov was fourth on the Griffins in that category. Terry led with 156, Puempel was second with 142 and Hicketts was third with 116. In his rookie season in 2016-17, Svechnikov had 187 shots in 74 games.

Quotable: "It's been an up and down season for him. But obviously not really surprising to us, he came back from a tough injury, that's not an easy injury that he had, and usually for most players it takes half a season or a full season for them to get their legs underneath them. Geno was no different. The first half of the season probably wasn't what he would have liked it to have been but after Christmas he caught fire for a bit there in early February. He had a nice stretch of about six or eight games where he pretty much averaged almost a point a game in that stretch. Then he scored five games in a row. So really in the second half you started to kind of see the player that he was in his rookie year and who he can be. So I think for Geno, he just needs to stick with it. Now that he's healthy, he needs another full summer, he needs a full summer of strength, he needs a summer of conditioning, working on his skating. I think next year is when you're really going to see a guy in training camp that's ready to give it a shot at making that squad." -- Shawn Horcoff, director of player development and assistant director of player personnel