Colorado Avalanche Top 25 Under 25 Number 21: Igor Shvyrev

The Top 25 Under 25 is a collaboration by members of the Mile High Hockey community. Eleven writers and 480 readers ranked players under the age of 25 as of September 1, 2019 in the Colorado Avalanche organization. Each participant used their own metric of current ability and production against future projection to rank each player. Now, we’ll count down each of the 25 players ranked.

Igor Shvyrev is an exciting left-handed center we will be hearing lots more about in the near future. He was drafted by the Colorado Avalanche in the 5th round in 2017 (125th overall), and signed his three year Entry Level Contract in May 2018.

In 2016-2017, he played 10 games in the KHL for the Metallurg Magnitogorsk and 40 games in the MHL with the Stalnye Lisy Magnitogorsk. That playoff appearance included five playoff games where he scored two goals and had one assist.

During the 2017-2018 season, Shvyrev split time between the KHL, MLH and the U20 Russian team, playing a combined 48 games. It wasn’t a tremendous about of ice time, but his ability to produce seven goals and 13 assists speaks to his strengths off the bench and the quick adjustments he makes to different leagues and different opponents.

After not getting much playing time in the KHL, Shvyrev opted to join the AHL and spent the entire 2018-2019 season in Loveland with the Colorado Eagles. He played in 57 games, scoring six goals, and recording seven assists — one of which was a power play goal. The center averaged just over one shot per game, but with more assists than goals, it’s good to see that he finds ways to stay involved in plays across the ice.

His ELC runs for the next two years with the Avs owing him $1.35 million in total. He will be 23, likely with at least two full seasons with on the Eagles under his belt, when that contract expires.

Shvyrev has managed to stay healthy despite a relatively heavy load the past few years. This past season was the first time he played for more than 50 games, and seemed to do so without effort. He only sat for 25 penalty minutes, meaning that he is out on the ice for his full shift almost every time, and he is physical without going overboard and hurting himself or others in the process. Once again, Shvyrev adapted well to new linemates, new coaches and new opponents without missing much of a beat at all.

This coming season will be his time to truly show what he is capable of.

Now in his third year of eligibility in our rankings, he has gone from no. 25, to no. 16, back to no. 21. Avs faithful have confidence in his ability but it will be up to Shvyrev to prove himself to the Eagles and Avs coaches in order to finally crack the NHL lineup. There are several established forwards ahead of him, but Shvyrev’s stock is on the rise and young centers are always in high demand around the league.