Where have things gone wrong with Andrei Svechnikov and the Hurricanes?
While the Carolina Hurricanes remain as one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference, there’s a growing concern over the performance of one of the team’s top players.
Forward Andrei Svechnikov has seen his role with the Hurricanes dip over the past couple of years, and it could lead to a change of scenery for the Russian winger. During Saturday Headlines on Hockey Night in Canada, Elliotte Friedman reported that Svechnikov is open to the idea of a trade. Svechnikov has fallen to the bottom six at times this season, with some potential frustration due to his lack of effort when things aren’t going his way.
Moving Svechnikov’s contract might be a hurdle. The 25-year-old is in the fifth season of an eight-year contract. The deal has a cap hit of $7.75 million, with a modified no-trade clause where the player has submitted a 10-team no-trade list.
On Monday’s edition of Daily Faceoff LIVE, Tyler Yaremchuk and Carter Hutton explain what has gone amiss between Svechnikov and the Canes.
Tyler Yaremchuk: He’s a guy who, when he’s on, he’s a 30-goal guy. When he’s off, he maybe just doesn’t work in Rod Brind’Amour’s system. Is that fair?
Carter Hutton: I think that’s the way I would look at it, too. This is a player that is very skilled, but at times they need to be coddled. He needs to be in a situation where he’s going to succeed, where he’s going to play well. Then, when things don’t go his way, he’s playing for a head coach that has a lot of non-negotiables in his decisions that he makes about running a game.
If you aren’t going to work, if you aren’t going to forecheck, if you aren’t going to be part of the system that works as a whole, you kind of really don’t fit in there. That’s the vibe that I get when you think about Svechnikov and how he plays. He wants his cookies. He wants to be a perimeter guy and be on the power point, and play with skill, but you also got to buy into what his team culture is and what he wants to run. So, I think that’s the effect you’re getting now. He’s got his deal. He’s got his money. Now he just wants to play the way he wants to play. I think that’s where you’re going to get two immovable forces. Because I’ll tell you one thing. Rod Brind’Amour is not going to bend over backwards to suit what he needs as a player. He’s going to do what’s best for the team.
You can watch the full segment and entire episode here…