After this weekend’s NHL draft, Hurricanes fandom is abuzz with excitement and expectations for the beginning of Andrei Svechnikov’s career. It seems reasonable to expect Svechnikov to step in and contribute right away, with scouts and prospect experts alike saying he’s NHL ready. Most also peg Svechnikov to be a consistent 30-40 goal scorer, but it’s probably unreasonable to expect that from him coming out of his draft year… or is it?
Top picks have certainly had a track record of contributing right away, and the Canes saw Jeff Skinner step right into the lineup and score 31 goals to win the Calder Trophy out of his draft year.