The NHL Draft is a day away. An entire year of scouting comes down to a two-day period of decision-making in Sunrise, Florida. Evgeny Svechnikov of the QMJHL's Cape Breton Scream Eagles represents one of this year's most exciting power forwards.
As I have written about extensively all year, a team like the Leafs should not be looking to target players ranked 24th overall in a draft ranking, just as fans shouldn't be sifting through draft rankings to see who was taken at No. 24.
Every year, someone falls into the mid-20s who shouldn't have and fans should be exploring who is ranked ahead of their team's selection.
This year, Svechnikov is a potential candidate to fall, in part because the QMJHL has a history of seeing players slip on draft day.
The Russian-born QMJHL stud, ranked 18th in my final top 60 ranking with McKeen's Hockey, matched his towering size and undoubted skill this season with equally impressive numbers.
In 55 games with the Screaming Eagles this season, Svechnikov registered 78 points, including 32 goals as a rookie before potting seven more points in as many playoff games. His rookie season was so productive it earned him Rookie First Team All-Star status as the QMJHL's but first-year right winger.
The rangy, 6-2 winger, scored at a team-best 1.42 points per game pace, kicking off his QMJHL career with a 17-point, nine-game scoring streak before finishing the season as he started it with a 20-point, 10-game streak.
One of his greatest strengths, his stickhandling, compliments an effortlessly quick release. For a big man, he's got a deceptively smooth stride, moving faster than he appears to be.
Once more, he's also as gifted a passer as he is a scorer and can finish in tight or in the high slot.
Prone to taking the odd bad penalty and banging his stick on the ice for a pass (Leafs fans are used to watching Nazem Kadri call for passes), Svechnikov can get caught up in the heat of the moment, likely because he knows he's bigger and stronger than most QMJHL players.
Could still learn to hang onto the puck more and delve away from the give-and-go, on-and-off style he can fall into playing. He's so gifted with the puck that that shouldn't be hard to teach.
With a little fine tuning in the defensive zone -- common among gifted forwards -- and some bulk to his relatively raw frame, Svechnikov has all the tools to be an impact top-six winger at the next level.
Watch how effective Svechnikov can be when he decides to carry the puck, going end-to-end before finishing on his own rebound.
And notice Svechnikov's quick, heavy release despite having his hands high on his stick here.
At year's end, the Russian's point per game trailed only Timo Meier's 1.48 among draft eligible forwards, with 52 (0.95 per game) of his 78 points coming at even strength, trailing only Quebec Remparts forward Dmytro Timashov (0.97).
If he falls to the Leafs at 24th overall, he has to be seriously considered in the conversation on draft day. Other potential options include Jansen Harkins and Daniel Sprong.
