Svechnikov entered the playoffs at a crossroads: a potential star searching for the game that made him such an intriguing player.

Hurricanes coach Rob Brind’Amour began his tenure with the 2018-19 season, months after Carolina selected Svechnikov with the No. 2 pick in the 2018 NHL Draft. The forward made his debut that season and has been a fixture in the lineup since, scoring between 15-30 goals in each of his seven seasons.

Andrei Svechnikov spent the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs looking like the player the Carolina Hurricanes desperately need him to be.