#91's #s: 8 games, no goals, no assists, -3, no PIM.
Take the good: Grachev saw limited ice time (averaged just 7:42) on lower lines and actually wasn't out of place as a grinder. He was not a defensive liability and showed good size and strength. He played 73 games for the Whale and ended up +21, furthering the argument that he isn't incompetent in his own zone.
Take the bad: Grachev had just 16 goals and 22 assists in those 73 games, not the numbers of a scorer. And he wasn't good in the postseason when the Whale fell to Portland - he played all six games but had no goals, two assists and went -2. And he had all of three shots on goal in his eight games up with the Rangers (lucky to find a photo of one of them, huh?). Take them both and then we have: In the one Whale game I saw Grachev was invisible and all firsthand accounts say that he continues to be maddeningly inconsistent. After putting up 80 points in 60 games with Brampton, Grachev leapt to the pros and made us leap to the conclusion that he would be the power forward scorer we had hoped Cherepanov would be. The 21 year old has some time but is looking a lot like another big Russian Ranger - Vladimir Vorobiev. Serious skills and good size but simply lacking the x-factor it takes to make it.
3 comments:
We should package Grachev and DelZero together and try to get some serious talent in exchange. Neither of these guys has a bright future ahead of them.
Grachev was still a disappointment...even with the "good".
I agree with Anonymous as well. Problem is that most pro scouts agree with us as well. Maybe Colorado might take a chance with Grachev, being that him and Duchene had prior success together. I'd take their first round pick??
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