Fyodor Svechkov is the best Russian prospect eligible for the 2021 NHL Draft. We announced as much by placing him 17th in the EliteProspects Preliminary Top-32 2021 NHL Draft ranking, and it's only proven more true in the time since.

At the time, it seemed as if we'd stuck our necks out for Svechkov. When one considers his performances since then, his constant improvement, and the professional setting in which Svechkov is evolving, it seems as though we'd undersold his talent.

Svechkov could very well challenge Matthew Beniers for the distinction as this draft's best defensive forward.

His MHL numbers weren't anything to write home about last season, with only six points to show for his 24 outings, but Svechkov emerged as a go-to option in international settings, playing with pro-level habits