Four games into the season, Svejkovsky was placed on waivers for contract termination. The reasoning behind the decision remains unclear, but the outcome is the same: he is now a free agent. He signed with Ilves in Liiga and appeared in 20 games, suffering an ankle injury that sidelined him for the majority of the season. Svejkovsky is expected to remain with Ilves for the upcoming year. His NHL future appears exceedingly unlikely. There is only a longshot scenario left in which he becomes relevant again, and I cannot recommend using a roster spot on him.

Acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for Bennett MacArthur. After a struggling start in the AHL for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins Svejkovsky found himself in the ECHL. Putting up great numbers in the ECHL, the Lightning are hoping a change of scenery can help Svejkovsky take another step forward. He will suit up for the Syracuse Crunch in the AHL this season. Now in his last year of his entry level contract, he will have to prove he can play against better competition and grow his game. If he can’t elevate his game and produce this season his chances of making the NHL will be low.

Lukas Svejkovsky played his first AHL season in 2022-23 appearing in 47 games with 15 total points. After capping off his time in the WHL scoring over a point a game, many hoped Svejkovsky’s offensive game would translate easily to professional hockey. Unfortunately, Svejkovsky struggled to find the offensive side of his game against men. At 5-foot-11, 185 pounds this is the first time that Svejkovsky had to deal with opponents consistently bigger than he was. He showed flashes of being the highly skilled speedy player he was in juniors but will need to improve his consistency going into his second professional season. With an offseason to get stronger and improve knowing what the expectations are Svejkovsky could take a big jump in production in the upcoming season. Overall Svejkovsky has some of the best skills of any prospect in the Penguins system and has good potential for a breakout in the AHL. –

The Penguins 2020 fourth-round pick was amongst the best players in the WHL as an overager, finally having the dominant campaign expected of him. He recently signed his ELC and will likely step immediately into Wilkes-Barre’s top nine and fight for a place on the PP1. The question with Svejkovsky when the Penguins drafted him was whether or not he could compensate for his 5-foot-9, 170-pound frame, and that question still remains unanswered. He has a refined offensive skill set, can make space for himself with his hands, and his shot is NHL quality. He possesses good skating technique and speed and is engaged in all three zones. However, he does not have one skill or trait that separates him from the pack, and his production has never been exceptional. Time will tell if he can be more than a career minor leaguer.

The winger has started the WHL season on a tear. He has scored seven goals in his first six games – good enough for first in the league – and has recorded two separate four-point games.

The Penguins selected Svejkovsky in the fourth round, 108th overall in the 2020 NHL Draft. He is known for his high hockey sense and ability to create space for a goal-scoring opportunity.