Hurricanes’ Andrei Svechnikov out with upper-body injury

The Carolina Hurricanes announced that forward Andrei Svechnikov will not play on Thursday night vs. the Calgary Flames due to an upper-body injury.

Forward Brendan Lemieux draws into the lineup with Svechnikov’s absence, according to The Hockey Writers’ Hurricanes’ reporter Zachary Martin.

Svechnikov took line rushes during the pre-game warmup and was expected to play on a line with Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Seth Jarvis, but the team made the announcement just 10 minutes before puck drop.

The 23-year-old is coming off a 2022-23 season that was cut short due to a torn ACL last March. He missed the beginning of the current campaign, making his debut on Oct. 27 against the San Jose Sharks, the Hurricanes’ ninth game of the season.

In 16 games this season, Svechnikov has one goal and 10 assists for 11 points.

In 363 career NHL games, Svechnikov has 113 goals, 162 assists and 275 points, along with 330 penalty minutes. The Russian forward has 13 goals and 12 assists for 25 points in 40 career playoff games with the Hurricanes.

Svechnikov was drafted No. 2 overall by the Hurricanes in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. He made the club as a rookie, scoring 20 goals and 17 assists for 37 points in the 2018-19 season.

As of Dec. 7, the Hurricanes are 14-10-1 to start the season, currently second in the Eastern Conference’s Metropolitan Division with 29 points.