headtopics
Fedor Svechkov's first NHL trade was a late-night surprise, making it a moment he won't soon forget. The young Russian forward was dealt to the Colorado Avalanche from the Nashville Predators in a move that also brought prospect Zachary L'Heureux to Denver, with Jack Drury, Chase Bradley, and a third-round pick going the other way.
Svechkov, 23, was asleep in Russia when his agent's message arrived around 4 a.m. local time. "I woke up because of the message my agent sent me," Svechkov recalled. "I'm like, 'What's going on?' He knows that I'm sleeping. He's like, 'You got traded to Colorado.' Then Joe [Sakic] called me and said some welcome words. It felt like a dream. Then I couldn't sleep again for like four or five hours. It was shock, but then also happy and super excited to come here."
L'Heureux, who was watching Canada play in the World Cup when the trade went down, missed the initial call. The two players, both first-round picks in 2021 (Svechkov at No. 19, L'Heureux eight picks later), now find themselves in Colorado, where Svechkov's fit in the lineup is a major storyline.
Svechkov has spent most of the past two seasons with Nashville but has yet to find his offensive groove at the NHL level, tallying 12 goals and 34 points in 122 games. "Just seeing his progression and all the work he puts into his craft and the skill that he has – he's such a natural athlete and talent," L'Heureux said. "Hopefully he just keeps progressing more and more. When I was traded, I was shocked obviously, but knowing he was coming with me was a big relief."
If the season started today, Svechkov would likely center the third line between Jaden Schwartz and Nicolas Roy. L'Heureux has spent most of camp with Parker Kelly and Logan O'Connor, potentially forming the fourth line. That trio seems to fit the identity line that Avalanche coach Jared Bednar loves to deploy each season.
Nazem Kadri, who returned from Calgary before the trade deadline last year, was the team's No. 3 center during the Stanley Cup Playoffs. But with Valeri Nichushkin now in Columbus, Kadri may get the first opportunity to fill a top-six role. "If I move to the wing, we need two of [the centers] to be really good," Bednar said. "We've got to find that chemistry. What do those lines look like if Naz is up? Do we spread it out, move Naz back? Are we better off? Oftentimes, you're sort of robbing Peter to pay Paul in those situations, so we've got to see it. We've got to give it a chance. We've got to stick with it. Then we're probably gonna have to change it, look at the other way, and do that multiple times throughout the course of the year till we figure out what our best option is."
If Svechkov and Roy are paired together, they can share faceoff duties as a lefty-righty combination. Bednar has expressed a preference for Kelly on the wing, and if Svechkov proves his defensive reliability, Bednar might try him on the fourth line alongside his former Nashville teammate. Alternatively, the skilled Russian could see time on the wing to discover his optimal NHL role. "It's not my question," Svechkov said. "It's a question for coach. I'm just playing hockey, wherever they're going to say. I'm just trying to make the best play I can."
Svechkov has enjoyed having other Russians around at Avalanche camp, though Ilya Nabokov, Nikita Prishchepov, and Nikita Novosyolov are all likely to start the season in the minors. He also mentioned that the borscht at Masha and the Bear in Aurora is among the best he's ever had. Getting comfortable in Denver was step one; finding the right spot in the lineup will be step two.
Key Analysis
Bednar sees significant potential in Svechkov. "I think a guy like him, he's got good skill, he's got good size, he's going to get used to the way we play," Bednar said. "The demands are gonna be high, and if he can kind of grow quickly, I think he's a key piece of it." The Avalanche are banking on Svechkov's development to bolster their forward depth and provide flexibility in their lineup configurations.
Originally reported by headtopics.