The NYR Facts Of Life: #91 Evgeny Grachev

For each player who suited up in a Blueshirt this season we will take the good, we will take the bad and take them both and see what we have. And this time around we started with the high numbers and are up to #91, Evgeny Grachev.

#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.

Well This Is Interesting

Just arrived in my e-mail:

New York Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather announced today that forward Evgeny Grachev has been recalled from the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League (AHL).

Zipay is reporting that the lines will be the same as the last few games. So no Sean yet again. And, despite earlier reports that we would see Valley, the Newsday scribe went on to say that Hank will be back in net to face Three-Or-More.

Strange happenings. My guess is that Hank is feeling fresh so he gets the start against a top-tiered team, while Valley will wait until Monday to face the Leafs as it is the bumper game of back-to-backs (after Sunday vs. the Quack Attack).

But Grachev ... perhaps the Enver Lisin experiment is getting a rest? Put Geno back alongside Arty and you have not one but two motivated players? Or is Kotalik or someone else dinged up? Guess we will have to wait and see ...

Edit update: Gross and Zipay are saying that Cally is the one who is sore and may not be able to go. That could throw off the lines a bit - maybe see Kotalik up alongside Dru (Sabres underachievers ho!!!!!) and Grachev back with Arty and Lisin?

He'll Be Back

RANGERS ASSIGN EVGENY GRACHEV TO HARTFORD
22 Active Players Remain With The Club

New York, September 27, 2009 – New York Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather announced
today that the club has assigned forward Evgeny Grachev to the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League
(AHL). The Rangers now have 22 players remaining in training camp, including two goaltenders, seven defensemen
and 13 forwards.

Grachev has size and skills, he will be on Broadway at one point. Likely once Tortorella strangles Kotalik.

Oh, and game wrap of today's match forthcoming ...

Traverse City Video

No thanks to the NHL. All credit to Hockeysfuture.com:



I watched it twice, then looked up the roster and yep, that's Grachev (59) making the best play making room for himself in front, spinning and scoring. In another cut you get a glimpse at the speed of Ryan Bourque (60) and free agent tryout Luke Pither (67) seemed quite involved in a few of them.

Damn NHL Network yet again for being cheap. I mean, it's great that the network exists at all but, as my dad always stressed to me: if you are going to do something, do it right!!