Red Wings' Svechnikov agrees to entry-level contract

The Detroit Red Wings today agreed to terms with Evgeny Svechnikov on a three-year, entry-level contract.

Svechnikov, 18, was Detroit's first-round pick (19th overall) during the 2015 NHL Entry Draft at the BB&T Center in Sunrise, Fla., in June. The 6-foot-2, 199-lb., winger made his NHL preseason debut with the Red Wings on Sept. 22 at Chicago before returning to the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

In three games with Cape Breton this season, he's picked up six points (3-3-6), a plus-four rating and recorded 15 shots on goal. As a rookie with the same team in 2014-15, Svechnikov finished third on the club and second among QMJHL rookies with 78 points (32-46-78) in 55 games. He led his team in points-per-game at 1.42 and ranked among team leaders with 32 goals (3rd), 46 assists (T1st), a plus-19 rating (2nd) 70 penalty minutes (5th), 10 power-play goals (3rd) and 183 shots (3rd).

The Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Russia, native tied for second on Cape Breton during the postseason with seven points (1-6-7) in seven games, helping the Screaming Eagles push the eventual QMJHL-finalist Quebec Remparts to seven games during their first-round series. Svechnikov was named to the QMJHL's All-Rookie Team and also appeared at the CHL Top Prospects Game in January.

Svechnikov spent several seasons in Russia prior to coming to North America and made his professional debut by playing three games with Ak Bars Kazan in the Kontinental Hockey League. He also put up 27 points (14-13-27) and 68 penalty minutes for Ak Bars Kazan's junior club, helping the team finish atop the conference during the season. The 18-year-old has represented Russia in international play on several occasions, most recently at the 2014 Under-18 World Championship in Finland, tying for the team lead with seven points (3-4-7) in five games. He also won a silver medal at the 2014 World Junior A Challenge and the 2013 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.