The Curious Case of Mikhail Grigorenko

The Curious Case of Михаил Григоренко

There is a huge debate going on about Grigorenko and his decline in the rankings and criticism by everybody. But we have to see the big picture, one of a Russian that was born in Khabarosvk, a city completely east of Russia, near the China border where his dad was only a car dealer. He moved to Moscow with his mom and big brother at the age of 7 so he could have a better development in the game of hockey and a better future as a hockey player.

The kid came to Canada at the age of 17 years old, not knowing a single word in English and having his translator when he first walked into the Quebec airport. He was so overwhelmed to see all the people from Quebec that was welcoming him as he makes his first steps on our continent. What most people don’t know is that Patrick Roy, coach and general manager of the Quebec Remparts, actually played Grigorenko in defensive situations such as penalty kills most of the nights. He finished the year with 40 goals and 45 assists for 85 points in only 59 games, grabbing along the CHL rookie of the year award.

At the World Junior Championships, Mikhail was playing very well for Russia along Gusev and Kucherov, and never once on the same line as tournament leading scorer Yevgeni Kuznetsov who played with Yakupov. Then came the turning point of his season, the downfall. He was playing against Latvia in the 1^st period when the score was still tied at 0-0. Coming from an unbeaten record and Latvia with crushing defeats of 4-9 and 1-3 against Sweden and Slovakia, the Russians knew they would have an easy game. However, they were dominated in the 1^st period till 9:30 when Mikhail Grigorenko raised his game and create offense as he scored the 1^st of 14 Russian goals in a 14-0 devastating win over Latvia. However, in early 2^nd period, Grigorenko got hit really badly by Latvian defenseman Arturs Salija, injuring his ankle and falling painfully on the ice. At that moment, Grigorenko just had his 1^st injury in his young career, as he never had to fight through such injury. It was also since that particular moment, that his draft ranking would fall. He played the rest of the tournament with a high sprained ankle finishing with 5 points in 6 games. Instead of being called a hero, a catalyst for Russia for playing with an injury, he was criticized for all the wrong reasons.

Coming back from a Silver medal win with team Russia, Grigorenko has decided to rest and heal his ankle. He came back and wasn’t as dominant as before he left the Remparts for the WJCs. Scouts started to doubt his physical implication, his thrive and his play away from the puck. He was starting to be criticized of being lazy, lacking effort, being a KHL bound player, etc. Towards the end of a season, a certain scout told TSN that he wouldn’t even take Grigorenko at 22^nd overall. Absurd as it may seem, as of today, Mikhail Grigorenko is being touted as a mid to late 1^st round pick. His decline wasn’t stopping there, as the Remparts and him lost the QMJHL 2^nd round playoff series against Nathan MacKinnon and Jonathan Drouin and the surprising Halifax Mooseheads while having a 3-0 lead in the series. Guess what happened, the media and the scouts were starting to have fun downgrading Grigorenko.

It was only later after the CHL season ended, it was made public that Mikhail had mononucleosis that he started to feel symptoms before Game 6 of that same series against the Mooseheads. With that being said, he was called of not showing when it matters most, but finished with 10 pts in 11 playoffs games.

He decided to attend the NHL Combine in Toronto while not participating in any physical test. He went there to prove the 30 NHL teams that he is a person who persevered in his life and not a person that will not face an obstacle in his way. He was present to show his personality, his desire to play in the NHL, and most importantly, his dedication to this sport that he practiced since 6-7 years old. Funny story, he had around 26 interviews and during which he wore a Lacoste red and white polo shirt with the Canadian Maple Leaf on it. We can see throughout his interviews, Grigorenko is a person with education and head on his shoulders. He speaks fluently English in only a year. He loves being in Canada and was even getting thoughts of taking University classes in physical education at distance. It shows that he knows where to put his priorites and wants to become a better hockey player, a better person.

All in all, instead of being called a perseverant and hard working person and hockey player, Mikhail Grigorenko was criticized by all the wrong means. There has never been that much hate on a top end prospect that has done nothing to deserved this situation. He is an 18 years old Russian born player that deserves much more praise than hate and criticism. Head on his shoulders, Grigorenko understanding of the game and ability to control the pace of the game is unrivaled in this draft class. To conclude, Mikhail Grigorenko has the complete package: the skillset, the attitude, and the desire to become a star in the NHL and a game changer for the NHL team that will pick him, whether it’s 3^rd overall or 200^th overall. We are proud to talk to you about … the Curious Case of Mikhail Grigorenko.

Future Watch: Nathan MacKinnon

Guess who: Originally from Nova Scotia, playing at Shattuck-St. Mary’s high school in Minnesota and tearing it apart at the young age of 15 years old, playing a the center position, and was the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League 1^st overall pick… it sure sounds like a certain Pittsburgh Penguins franchise player isn’t it? Well, HL is pround to present our first article on this amazing prospect from Darmouth, NS, Halifax Moosehead’s Nathan MacKinnon.

Already coveted since the age of 14 years old, Nathan MacKinnon had a great year in 2011 participating at the Canada’s Winter Games in Halifax and at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, finishing respectively with 8 goals-3 assists-11 points and 5 goals- 3 assists-8 games in a 7 and 5 games tournament, representing team Nova Scotia and team Atlantic. He also finished his senior season at Shattuck-St. Mary’s with a 39 goals – 85 points in 34 games season, at midget level.

Presently compared to another Nova Scotian Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon gathered so much media and interest throughout the hockey world, especially in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Months leading up to the Q’s Midget Draft, the MacKinnon family had never shown interest for Nathan to play for the Q’s lottery winner, GM Steve Ahern and his Baie-Comeau’s Drakkar team, utlimately forcing him to trade away his 1^st overall prize to the Halifax’s Mooseheads and GM Cam Russell. After a full summer of doubt, whether young MacKinnon was to play in the CHL or the USHL, he finally showed up at the Mooses training camp, in a great form.

Nonetheless, Nathan MacKinnon is finally proving to be worth the blockbuster deal that Russell made to acquire him, as he is already dominating the Q with a 19 points in 12 games production and made most of his early points at the age of 15 years old since he has just turned 16 on September 1^st. His style of game is very striking as he dominates his opponents with a very powerful skating stride and violent wristshot. The Mooseheads are a pretty young team that should become a President’s Cup contender in the next few years, as Nathan MacKinnon will have plenty of great players to support him: Luca Ciampini, Martin Frk, Darcy Ashley, and a certain young midget player from the Lac St-Louis Lions, 2^nd overall pick in the 2011 QMJHL’s Draft, Jonathan Drouin.

Nathan MacKinnon is surely and already considered the best prospect for the 2013 NHL Entry Draft and people sure like to compare him to a young Sidney Crosby. However, that comparison might be a little bit unfair to the young prospect, and he should not carry around that much pressure. Then so, rather to compare him to Sid The Kid, here on HL, we see a lot similarity in Nathan MacKinnon and Boston Bruins own amazing sophomore, Tyler Seguin.

Next on HL, we will resume our covering of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, as we will have features on #4 and #5 ranked players, Leksand’s Filip Forsberg and Everett’s Silvertips Ryan Murray.

Bonus article: Read Goal-happy Moose on a roll on MetronewsMacKinnon's profile on Elite Prospects

Future Watch: Luc Deschênes

I know it's pretty soon for a 1997-born prospect, but this kid is the next big thing out of New Brunswick. Only 14 years of age, Deschênes has been gathering so much attention from all Quebec Major Junior League scouts and GM such as André Tourigny and not only from the Q, but from certain NHL scouts already too.

Touted as the next big defenceman coming from the Q, and the best of the Maritimes since Luc Bourdon. Comparisons already to Brandon Gormley, but even better at the same age. His parents will eventually ask an Exceptional Player Status so he can be drafted in next year's Q midget draft.

Recently played at the Atlantic Challenge Cup as an exceptional player for team Newfounland and being also, the team’s captain.

Played at the Canadian Winter Games for NB as a 97-born, probably the youngest. Certainly a prospect to keep an eye on for the next few years.

Bonus article: Read "Luc Deschênes suit les traces de Luc Bourdon" on Cyberpresse (in French)
Deschênes' profile on Hockey Canada

Prospect ID: #1 ranked Mikhail Grigorenko