The Detroit Red Wings have announced that forward Evgeny Svechnikov is sidelined for 5-6 months with a knee injury. The surgery completed on Tuesday by Dr. Kyle Anderson. Svechnikov required ACL reconstruction.
UPDATE: #RedWings forward Evgeny Svechnikov underwent successful surgery on his right knee today. Svechnikov required anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction and is expected to miss 5-6 months. The surgery was performed by Dr. Kyle Anderson. pic.twitter.com/OTJbXx2hhV
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) October 16, 2018
Evgeny Svechnikov Injured
Svechnikov injured his knee in the preseason finale Sept. 29 against the Toronto Maple Leafs. He was placed on non-roster injured reserve on Oct. 1. The young Russian was challenging for a roster spot during camp when the injury happened.
He scored two goals and handed out two assists in 16 games during the 2017-18 season. He also added eight penalty minutes last season. His possession numbers were 48.6 percent Corsi and a relative Corsi of -1.4.
He’s only played for the Red Wings during his two-year NHL career. He has put up two goals and two assists for four career points in 16 career games. The Detroit Red Wings originally drafted him in the first round, 15th overall of the 2015 NHL draft.
Svechnikov has appeared in 131 games for the Griffins the past two seasons, picking up 27 goals and 47 assists.
The Wings had hoped he’d make their team in 2017 after he posted 20 goals and 51 points with Grand Rapids in 2016-17, his first year of pro hockey. That plan ended when Svechnikov suffered an injury during the 2017 preseason.
What This Means for the Future
This is another injury setback for the wounded Red Wings. Detroit has been plagued with many injuries to their defence this season.
Svechnikov’s spot on the team wasn’t known before his injury. He had worked hard on improving his foot speed over the summer. The 21-year-old was showing greater confidence in training camp.
This injury is going to push back his development for an entire year. It’s unlikely that he’ll be back for the Red Wings this season. However, he could still play a role for the Griffins in the Calder Cup playoffs.
TORONTO, ON – MARCH 24: Evgeny Svechnikov #77 of the Detroit Red Wings skates during the warm-up prior to playing against the Toronto Maple Leafs in an NHL game at the Air Canada Centre on March 24, 2018 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
