After reports surfaced on Monday suggesting Carolina Hurricanes star Andrei Svechnikov was seeking a second opinion about a potentially significant knee injury, the team confirmed the worst less than 24 hours later.
Svechnikov, 22, will undergo reconstructive knee surgery on Thursday to repair his torn right ACL, ending his 2022–23 season — and dealing a severe blow to the Hurricanes’ championship aspirations.
The Hurricanes originally selected Svechnikov with the No. 2 pick in the 2018 NHL Draft. The 6-foot-2 winger has 23 goals and 55 points in 64 games with the Hurricanes this season.
Svechnikov is under contract through the 2028–29 season at a $7.75 million annual cap hit, according to CapFriendly.
Svechnikov joins Max Pacioretty on the sidelines as the Hurricanes maintain a tenuous grasp on the top seed in the Metropolitan Division. The ‘Canes have lost back-to-back games and are tied in points (94) with the surging New Jersey Devils.
Through 347 career games over parts of five seasons with the Hurricanes, Svechnikov has collected 112 goals and 264 points. He’s also amassed 13 goals and 25 points in 40 career playoff contests.
Svechnikov last appeared in the Hurricanes’ lineup on March 11, logging 17:01 and firing two shots in a 4–0 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights. The Hurricanes dropped a 3–0 decision to the Devils the following night.
Now without Svechnikov for the long haul, the Hurricanes will look to regroup as they return to action at home on Tuesday evening against the Winnipeg Jets.
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