The Svech Bowl
For the first time in their short NHL careers, brothers Andrei and Evgeny Svechnikov will suit up against each other.
Their humble upbringing in Barnaul, Russia is well-documented, and from various interviews and social media posts you can see how incredibly close these two are. Andrei has described his big brother on multiple occasions as “his hero”.
From the Carolina Hurricanes’ perspective, this is, honestly, just what the doctor ordered. Andrei has recorded zero goals and just one assist in his last seven games, and, as flawed of a stat as +/- is, he’s compiled a -5 in that span.
What’s more, his last non-empty-net goal came exactly one month ago, on a February 4 6-4 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks.
Andrei Svechnikov is too talented a player for these sort of trends to continue.
Incidentally, I co-host a Hurricanes podcast with two other Canes fans and writers (follow us and check it out @TTS_Pod, we have a lot of fun), and just this last week we discussed if players were being put in the best position for them to succeed. Svechnikov has spent a lot of this season moving around lines, and largely played with Jordan Staal and Warren Foegele at 5-on-5 of late. For all the positives those two bring to the lineup, I’m not sure that’s the best way to optimize an offensive play driver like Andrei – especially now that Staal’s magic/hot streak has ended.
Lo and behold, with Teuvo Teravainen returning to the lineup after dealing with a concussion, the SAT line with Svech and Aho is set to line up together in tonight’s tilt.
It is going to be a ton of fun to watch a dream Andrei and Evgeny Svechnikov have shared for years come to fruition. It also feels like a perfect opportunity for Andrei to break out of his mini-slump, as you know he’s going to have a pep in his step tonight. With the reuniting of one of hockey’s most dominant lines last season, I fully expect a big night from the Canes’ #37.