CSKA forward Mikhail Grigorenko tried to storm the NHL three times. Each entry into the best league in the world has failed. Sports tells about a hockey player who could become the new Malkin, but now is tearing up the KHL.
In the spring of 2012, Alexander Ovechkin and Evgeni Malkin were at their peak and shone in the clubs. However, the teams were already looking for young people to replace them. The new Ovechkin, a sniper with a fantastic shot and scoring instinct, according to scouts, could be Nail Yakupov, who broke records in the Ontario league. Mikhail Grigorenko, who played in the junior league of Quebec, was supposed to grow into the center of the «top» level.
The comparison was especially suitable for Grigorenko. They have similar dimensions with Malkin, and in terms of playing style, technique, skating and the ability to act outside the box, they were very similar to each other. Even the shortcomings — the game on the face-off point and the cool attitude to defense — were called the same.
When Grigorenko was criticized at the end of that season, Colorado coach Patrick Roy came to the Russian's defense. He stated that there were no questions for Mikhail in terms of the level of dedication and never had been. However, due to the “Russian factor” (fear of leaving for the KHL in case of failure) and missed viewing of juniors due to illness, his position in the draft fell. Grigorenko ended up in the Buffalo Sabers. The club chose the hockey player under the general 12th number. For both sides, this turn of events could be called successful.The Blades got one of the most talented juniors, and Mikhail avoided the additional pressure that is placed on newcomers from the top five or ten. He didn't even return to Russia during the lockout to better prepare for his NHL debut. In the sixth game for Buffalo, Grigorenko scored the first goal. However, that match will probably remain one of the Sabres' few fond memories of the period. youtube.com/embed/gv78iJ6A_9A» webkitallowfullscreen=»webkitAllowFullScreen» mozallowfullscreen=»mozallowfullscreen» allowfullscreen=»allowFullScreen» frameborder=»0″>
The club considered the level of the Russian not good enough to play in the leading links. The new head coach of “Buffalo” Ron Rolston demanded more dedication from the striker, the fight for the puck, and Mikhail is not very effective in such hockey. A misunderstanding in the club led to a small scandal. The Sabers wanted to send Grigorenko back to the junior league, but he refused and posted a text with interesting content on a social network.
«
“I came to North America three years ago from Russia, where I never had a bed, shower or heating. I worked every day to become a better player and help my family. Hockey is everything to me,” he wrote, asking the fans for time to think about the future.
After a while, the message disappeared, and after another inglorious season in the American Grigorenko's team, along with Nikita Zadorov, was traded to the Colorado Avalanche.It seemed that everything should work out for the Russian striker in a new place, but the old problems have not gone away. Grigorenko played unstable, although he received enough time and high-class partners. At the same time, he managed to set personal performance records (10 goals and 27 points). However, they did not renew the contract with him, and there were no interesting offers from other teams.
There was also a third attempt to declare itself in the NHL. In 2020, Grigorenko, having restarted his career at CSKA, went to Columbus. The start of the season in North America has been postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Mikhail's head coach then was John Tortorella, who demanded from the players exactly what the Russian hockey player never liked to do. One year was enough to understand that it is better to return to Russia.
But for the KHL, Grigorenko is Ovechkin and Malkin rolled into one. A dominant player who can operate both on the flank and in the center. All goalkeepers are afraid of his shot, in the ability to give a smart pass, only a few will be compared with him. Here they trust him, let him use his best qualities and turn a blind eye to his shortcomings. final. Last spring, he broke the CSKA record for the number of goals in the KHL, and in December 2022 he became the best sniper in the history of the army in the Russian championships (105 goals). Grigorenko, of course, is far from the figures of Boris Mikhailov, who scored almost 400 goals in domestic championships. However, he has already entered the name in the annals of CSKA. This season, the striker set a personal record in the regular season and is aiming for the third Cup.
Two assists by the striker in the first match of the semi-final series against SKA not only strengthened his lead in the playoff scorer race, but and brought the team closer to the final. Where, most likely, the army team will play with Nail Yakupov's Avangard.
The opinion of the author may not coincide with the position of the editors