Red Wings prospect Evgeny Svechnikov's little brother, Andrei, will be joining him in North America next fall. (Photo by Michael Caples/MiHockey)

Muskegon Lumberjacks sign Evgeny Svechnikov’s younger brother to USHL tender

Red Wings prospect Evgeny Svechnikov's little brother, Andrei, will be joining him in North America next fall. (Photo by Michael Caples/MiHockey)
Red Wings prospect Evgeny Svechnikov’s little brother, Andrei, will be joining him in North America next fall. (Photo by Michael Caples/MiHockey)

 

Andrei Svechnikov (photo from IIHF.com)
Andrei Svechnikov (photo from IIHF.com)

By @MichaelCaples –

The Lumberjacks are traveling far, far away for their most-recent tender, but they’re claiming a player with a last name that’s close to home.

Muskegon has signed Andrei Svechnikov to a USHL tender, which means they are foregoing their first pick in Monday’s draft to lock up a talented Russian prospect a day before the draft (which starts on Monday at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth).

Svechnikov, a highly-touted prospect for the 2018 NHL Draft, is the younger brother of Evgeny Svechnikov, the Red Wings’ first-round pick (19th overall) last summer.

“Svechnikov is one of the best players in the world,” said John Vanbiesbrouck, general manager for the Lumberjacks, in a release. “He’s a power forward who can score and play in every zone on the ice.”

Evgeny Svechnikov came to North America to compete in the QMJHL the last two seasons, and it appears his little brother will also cross the pond for hockey at a young age, albeit for a different league.

The Lumberjacks could be landing quite the star for the upcoming USHL season; Andrei Svechnikov was the lone 2000 birth-year player selected to compete for Russia at the IIHF Under-18 World Championship last month, and he scored two goals (one of which was a game-winner) in five games while playing against players up to two years older.

In 23 games this season with AK Bars Kazan, Andrei Svechnikov recorded 39 goals and 24 assists for 63 points. The 6-foot-2, 176-pound forward has also been a part of Russia’s Junior National Program, representing his country five different times. In 27 international contests against older competition, he has registered 21 goals and 18 assists for 39 points.

There is a possibility that the two Svechnikov brothers could be less than an hour apart next season, if Evgeny makes the jump from the QMJHL (he scored 79 points in 50 games) to the Grand Rapids Griffins. Evgeny was recently recalled by the Griffins for the Calder Cup playoffs.

Today is the last day a USHL member club can sign a tender before tomorrow’s draft. Hockey fans are encouraged to attend tomorrow’s USHL Draft show at CJ’s Brewing Company inside USA Hockey Arena starting at 7 p.m.

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