Hockey players don’t get traded in the middle of the night very often, so Fedor Svechkov’s first NHL transaction will be a memorable one.
Even if it might have been pretty hazy at the time.
The Colorado Avalanche traded for Svechkov and Zachary L’Heureux in June, sending restricted free agent Jack Drury, minor-league forward Chase Bradley and a third-round pick to the Nashville Predators. L’Heureux missed the initial call because he was watching Canada play at the World Cup.
Svechkov was at home, in Russia, asleep.
“It was deep night in Russia, like 4 a.m.,” Svechkov said. “I woke up because of the message my agent sent me. I’m like, ‘Whatap 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.”
Now that Svechkov and L’Heureux are here, where the former is going to fit in the lineup is one of the most interesting storylines to watch early in this Avalanche season. L’Heureux’s fit is pretty simple — the Avs want him to add some spice, and if he can transfer more of his offense from lower levels to the NHL, that’s great too.
The 23-year-old Svechkov was a first-round pick in the 2021 NHL draft by Nashville. He was the No. 19 pick, and L’Heureux joined him eight selections later.
Svechkov has spent the better part of the past two seasons in the NHL with the Predators, but hasn’t found his offensive game at this level yet with just 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, which could be the fourth line.
That trio feels like an “identity line” that Avs coach Jared Bednar is very fond of finding each season. Nazem Kadri was the club’s No. 3 center during the Stanley Cup Playoffs last year after returning from Calgary before the trade deadline. But with Val Nichushkin in Columbus, Kadri may get the first crack at filling a top-six role.
Whether or not he stays there might depend on Svechkov.
“If I move (Kadri) to the wing, we need two of (Svechkov, Roy and Kelly) 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 together, they can share faceoff duties as a lefty-righty combo. Bednar has liked Kelly more as a wing, and he did produce 21 goals last season playing there more than down the middle.
Should Svechkov prove his defensive chops, Bednar might be willing to try him on the fourth line next to his old friend from Nashville. Or the talented Russian could get some time on the wing to try and find the best NHL version of himself there.
“Itap not my question,” Svechkov said. “Itap 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.”
He’s enjoyed having other Russians around him at Avs camp, though Ilya Nabokov, Nikita Prishchepov and Nikita Novosyolov are all likely to start this season in the minors. Svechkov said 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 place in the Avs lineup will be step two.
“I think a guy like (Svechkov), 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.”
