It appears General Manager Barry Trotz's rebuild process he hinted at just a couple weeks ago is now in motion for the Nashville Predators after calling up Fedor Svechkov from the Milwaukee Admirals.
Svechkov will join Zachary L'Heureux as the Predators forwards so far to make their NHL debuts this season. He is expected to start on Saturday night as the Predators return home after a failed five-game road trip.
The Predators will face the NHL-leading Winnipeg Jets, so it will be no easy task at getting back into the win column and attempting to build a much-needed long winning streak to begin their climb out of last place and salvage their fading playoff hopes.
Trotz's rebuild plan is in motion for the Nashville Predators
As an AHL rookie last season, Svechkov managed 16 goals to surprise many including myself with his smooth transition to North American hockey. His offensive development was thought to be in question, but 16 goals as an AHL rookie calmed those doubts.
During this current season Svechkov has eight points in seven games, and Head Coach Andrew Brunette believes not only that Svechkov has been the best player for Milwaukee so far this season, but can help the Predators with what they're currently lacking in as well, including his speed.
Coach Brunette on what he's hoping to see from Fedor Svechkov in his NHL debut: "I think he's been probably the best player [in Milwaukee]... He's got a lot of speed through the middle of the ice, big centerman, he can distribute a little bit, so I think he fits some of the needs…
— Brooks Bratten (@brooksbratten) November 23, 2024
Svechkov gets the nod to the NHL interestingly enough before fellow up-and-coming prospects like Joakim Kemell, Reid Schaefer and Admirals leading scorer Vinnie Hinostroza. That's not to say that any of these prospects won't also get an eventual call-up if the Predators continue to plummet and the season becomes a lost cause for the playoffs.
I don't read this call-up of Svechkov as a waving of the white flag and giving up on the season by any means. Svechkov can bring more speed to the lineup, but also the inexperience factor might also mean more mistakes and an obvious learning curve.
What a like most about Svechkov's game and the biggest reason why it makes logical sense that he's getting a call-up so early is because he has a solid foundation to his game. He's a two-way style, big bodied forward that should suit him well to make the NHL jump. He also plays with a strong hockey IQ that's needed to make it as a NHL center.
Svechkov is a wise call-up that can help with Predators' biggest weakness
I'm pleased to see Svechkov get an early opportunity to provide a spark to the Predators. Clearly this team is broken right now, and I've even wondered if it's broken beyond repair for this season. Calling up Svechkov is a hope that it can be fixed with an injection of youth.
It appears that Phiip Tomasino and Juuso Parssinen will come out of the starting lineup against the Winnipeg Jets to make room for Svechkov's debut, while also leaving L'Heureux in there who has been one of the few bright spots.
Svechkov was drafted 19th overall in 2019 and still has this year and next year remaining on his entry level contract. He'll turn 22-years-old this coming April.
Tomasino, who is leaned on to provide offensive production for the depth of the lineup, has just one point in 11 games. Parssinen is been a little bit more impactful, but not by much with only five points in 12 games.
So let's see what happens now that Svechkov is in. Does he go right to the second line center role that's been an eyesore to the team? What a way to make your NHL debut in a top-six role possibly centering the likes of Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault.
They've tried Tommy Novak there. They've tried Parssinen, and they've tried Colton Sissons. Nothing has worked. How cool of a story would it end up being if it's Svechkov that solves the second line center dilemma?