Free-agent winger Evgeny Svechnikov linked to KHL

Over the last couple of offseasons, it has taken free agent winger Evgeny Svechnikov a while to find a contract. Considering he hasn’t signed within the first five-plus weeks of NHL free agency, it appeared as if things were heading in that direction again. 

Instead, it appears he has chosen a different path as a report from Shaiba in Kazakhstan suggests that Svechnikov is expected to sign with Ak Bars Kazan of the KHL.

Last season, the 26-year-old played in 59 games with San Jose, recording eight goals and six assists while logging just 10:45 per game. It continued a trend from the year before in Winnipeg where he produced at a similar rate (19 points in 72 games) while again logging 10:45 per contest. Those performances were a step up from his time with Detroit, however, as he spent the bulk of his four years in the minors.

Svechnikov would have been a candidate for a PTO agreement that could have been converted into what likely would have been a two-way deal. Instead, the 2015 15th-overall pick will try a different path, one that will allow him to play closer to home and likely will give him an opportunity to have a more significant role offensively. 

If that does happen, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that Svechnikov could get himself back on the NHL radar with a good showing next season.