BSH 2018 Community Draft Board, No. 2: Andrei Svechnikov

With 60 percent of the vote over the weekend, we have our first name added to the BSH Community Draft board by the people (excluding Rasmus Dahlin, who was given the top spot by default). Is it a pipe dream to even talk about Andrei Svechnikov in the context of the Flyers? Perhaps! But let’s do it anyways.

BSH 2018 Community Draft Board, No. 2: Andrei Svechnikov

2017-18 Season:
Team: Barrie Colts, OHL
Statistics: 40 G, 32 A in 44 GP

Pre-draft rankings

No. 1 (NA Skaters/Goalies) by NHL Central Scouting
No. 2 by Future Considerations
No. 2 by ISS Hockey
No. 4 by Pronman/The Athletic (Midseason)

What’s there to like?

The first positive that jumps out with Svechnikov is his goal scoring. The 18-year old CHL rookie scored almost a goal per game in the OHL with the Barrie Colts. Svechnikov is your prototypical high-scoring Russian winger, but there’s more to his game than just his quick shot. His passing vision is fantastic and he uses his plus skating ability to open up passing opportunities. His 6’3” 187 pound frame makes his fantastic skating all the more dangerous. He’s strong on the puck and drives the net extremely well. He also has the hands to play in front of the net, making him an all around offensive talent.

He doesn’t sacrifice all that much defensively either despite his aggressive style. This is why Barrie put him on their penalty kill as well as power play last season. In addition to his 72 regular season points, he accumulated 11 points in eight playoff games. In the 2018 World Juniors, Svechnikov posted five points in five games, all assists. The speed down the wing, plus the top notch shot, and netfront presence makes Svechnikov clearly one of, if not the best, forward in this draft.

What’s not to like?

There really aren’t too many negatives with this guy, but if there is one, it can be his positioning. It’s not always an issue, but he does appear to struggle at times finding the right areas to be in on the ice, finding the soft spots, etc. He’s been able to mask these issues for the most part with his elite puck skills, skating, and vision. We’ll see how much his positioning affects him at the NHL level.

How would he fit in the Flyers’ system?

Lindblom/Patrick/Svechnikov. Tell me that doesn’t sound like a hell of a lot of fun. Svechnikov would absolutely make a strong case to jump into the top 6 if we inserted him into the Flyers lineup we saw towards the end of the year. He would assumably fix the “we need a sniper” dilemma this team has faced essentially since Jeff Carter was traded. If there was a player on the Flyers roster I would most compare him to, Jakub Voracek would probably take that role with the main difference being Svechnikov is probably going to be a better goal scorer.

Could the Flyers actually get him?

Only if former BSH author Eric T. is willing to lend a hand. Otherwise, no, I can’t imagine a way the Flyers land the highly touted Russian winger.

We’ll make two additions to the poll at No. 3:

Quinn Hughes — D, Michigan Wolverines (NCAA) — 5 G, 24 A in 37 GP

An elite defensive talent that has mastered the elements of speed and decision-making. He is calculated in his handling of the puck and well-versed in his ability to limit time and space for the opposition without the puck. It’s almost taken for granted, now, that he is a highly skilled offensive player, simply due to his individual ability to carry plays and outfox the opposition in their own end. His creativity and vision is what sets him apart from many other defenders, and he plays that exciting style of hockey that punishes opponents’ mistakes with immediacy. It’s his proactivity through the neutral zone, not just limiting the time and space for the opposition but limiting their options to move the puck up-ice every time he’s on a shift, that makes him so potent. All-in-all, a complete defenceman that understands how to open up a game and take it over.

— via Elite Prospects

Adam Boqvist — D, Brynas IF J20/ Brynas IF (SuperElit/SHL) — 14 G/0 G, 10 A/1 A in 25 and 15 GP

Boqvist started off his draft season well with one of the best Ivan Hlinka tournament performances I’ve seen from a defenseman. Since then I think he’s been very good, albeit not outstanding over in Sweden, generating four shots per game in Sweden’s junior circuit and being a dangerous offensive player overall. His skating, hands and vision all get very high grades. He’s very skilled and creative with the puck, on top of not being selfish and displaying top-level vision. Boqvist skates very well with the ability to lead a rush, and he closes his gaps very well. His shot from the point is decent, as well. Essentially, he’s the total package offensively. On defense, he’s small and not that physical. His skating helps him close gaps and I’ve seen him make stops effectively, but versus men he’s struggled to win battles and can get exposed with some of his D-zone reads as a small, slight player. He also has a tendency to try and make an extra move and can get frustrated easily.

— via The Athletic

2018 BSH Community Draft Board

1. Rasmus Dahlin — D, Frolunda (SHL) (no vote)
2. Andrei Svechnikov — RW, Barrie (OHL) (60% of the vote)
3. ???

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Please use your vote below to answer the following question: If all of the players listed were available when the Flyers were on the clock, who would you want them to pick?

Who should be No. 3 on the 2018 BSH Community Draft Board?