Import Grachev assigned to Battalion
BRAMPTON, Ont. – Left winger Evgeny Grachev was assigned to the Brampton Battalion by the National Hockey League’s New York Rangers on Wednesday.
Russian import Grachev is expected to be in the lineup when the Battalion hosts the Owen Sound Attack in Ontario Hockey League action at 7:30 p.m. Friday.
“We’re excited to have a player with his offensive abilities back on our team,” said coach Stan Butler. “There’s no doubt, with the guys we’re missing, that we’re struggling to score goals. Getting Evgeny back will help us in that area.”
Grachev, an 18-year-old from Khabarovsk, in the Russian Far East, was a third-round pick by the Rangers in the NHL Entry Draft in June. The six-foot-three, 202-pound left shot signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the club on Sept. 22.
Grachev’s return leaves two Battalion players still at professional camps. Centre Cody Hodgson is with the NHL’s Vancouver Canucks, while right winger John Hughes is with the American Hockey League’s Syracuse Crunch, an affiliate of the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets.
The Troops, who selected Grachev with the 40th pick in the Canadian Hockey League’s Import Draft in June, have a won-lost-extended record of 1-2-0. They have scored nine goals this season but only two in each of their losses.
“We know that other teams in our league have been through this, and taking players like Evgeny out of your lineup really hurts you, especially offensively,” said Butler. “It’s one thing playing without a top-end defenceman, but it’s another trying to play without your guys up front who would also be on your power play.”
Grachev, who was expected to arrive in Toronto on Wednesday night, played five preseason games with the Battalion, scoring one goal and earning three assists for four points.
“He’s a very strong player, and we think he can be an impact player in the OHL,” said Butler. “As he gets more comfortable here with the language and the culture, we think he’ll be a great player for us.”
Grachev’s return from New York was delayed pending his release through the International Ice Hockey Federation. The Battalion appealed a Russian Ice Hockey Federation ruling that Grachev still was under contract to Yaroslavl 2, his former club.
The London Knights and Windsor Spitfires faced similar hurdles in obtaining releases for Russian-born players chosen this year.
“There’s a procedure in place, and with some federations it’s easier to get releases than others,” said Butler. “We had to go through the process of obtaining his release, and sometimes that takes longer than you would like.”
Grachev played in an eight-team rookie tournament with other Rangers prospects at Traverse City, Mich., from Sept. 13-17, failing to record a point in four games. He joined the Hartford Wolf Pack, New York’s AHL affiliate, last Thursday.
“That experience will be invaluable to him,” said Butler. “I know the Rangers wanted him to stay in North America to play. They want him to learn the culture and the game over here against kids his own age.”
