Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Sven Is In The Ghetto

1:30 PM  Fred Poulin  No comments

Called up on December 5th to replace Lars Eller, who is out with a shoulder injury, Sven Andrighetto didn't wait to make an impact, recording a point in each of his first three NHL games (2 goals and 1 assist). The 21-year-old native of Zurich, Switzerland is currently playing on a line with Tomas Plekanec and Jiri Sekac. 

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Andrighetto is the first Habs player to record to record at least a point in each of his first three NHL games since Pierre Mondou accomplished the feat in 1977-78. 

Andrighetto, a 5-foot-9, 183-pound forward who played two seasons in the QMJHL with the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies before the Canadiens drafted him, was enjoying a solid sophomore season with the team's AHL affiliate, the Hamilton Bulldogs, prior to his call-up.



In 21 games with the Bulldogs, the speedy winger/center had recorded 9 goals and 9 assists for 18 points and +1 rating under the tutelage of head coach Sylvain Lefebvre, The season before, Andrighetto had potted 17 goals and 27 assists for 44 points in 64 games with Hamilton, good for second among the team's forwards. 

Andrighetto, who was selected in the third round (86th overall) of the 2013 NHL draft after being passed over twice at the draft, is quite happy to find himself in the NHL right now. Still, the young European doesn't take anything for granted and savors every moment he spends with the team that drafted him and believed in him.



Read the article I wrote on Sven more than two years ago before people knew him. Sven Andrighetto: The Next Undrafted Gem

If we look at the 2013 NHL Entry Draft, the only other player drafted outside of the first round to play more than one NHL game is Anthony Duclair of the New York Rangers (7 points in 18 games). Luckily for Habs fans, as opposed to Duclair, Andrighetto is not eligible for the U20 World Championship Tournament since he is 21 years old.

Andrighetto is part of a new generation of Swiss players who are enjoying tremendous success in the NHL along with the likes of youngsters Nino Niederreiter and Sven Baertschi. He is also the fifth Helvetian athlete to play for the Canadiens after David Aebischer, Mark Streit, Yannick Weber and Raphael Diaz.

Both Andrighetto and rookie Jiri Sekac give plenty of credit to veteran Tomas Plekanec for their success as he has been a very good role model and mentor for the kids. The fact that Plekanec is used to help younger players has helped the two rookies to gain confidence and take chances offensively as they know the veteran center will have their back if they commit a turnover. 

While he is currently enjoying tremendous success at the NHL level, Andrighetto is not a lock to remain with the Bleu Blanc Rouge for the rest of the year as Lars Eller is slated to return to the line-up around Christmas, and maybe even earlier. Eller's presence would create a logjam in the Habs' top nine, which means Andrighetto could very well be the odd man out. 

Let's hope that Andrighetto doesn't turn into the next Cory Conacher, another small winger who was off to a stellar start (24 points in 35 games) in 2012-13 with the Tampa Bay Lightning, before being shipped out to the Ottawa Senators for lanky G Ben Bishop. Since the trade, Conacher has played 106 games with the Senators, Sabres and Islanders, recording only 10 goals and 24 helpers for 34 points with a +4 rating. Earlier this week, the Islanders waived him and he was not claimed by the 29 other teams...

The moral of the story is that while Andrighetto is enjoying much success right now, it doesn't mean he will turn into the next Pavel Bure. Keep your hopes not too high Habs fans and enjoy the Swiss wave while it lasts.

Do you think Marc Bergevin should make room up front so that Sven can remain with the big club?

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