Mikhail Grabovski
| Mikhail Grabovski | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| File:MikhailGrabovskiTML.jpg | |||
| Born |
January 31, 1984 Potsdam, East Germany | ||
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) | ||
| Weight | 186 lb (84 kg; 13 st 4 lb) | ||
| Position | Centre | ||
| Shoots | Left | ||
| NHL team Former teams |
Toronto Maple Leafs Montreal Canadiens (NHL) Dynamo Moscow (RSL) Neftekhimik (RSL) | ||
| National team |
 Belarus | ||
| NHL draft |
150th overall, 2004 Montreal Canadiens | ||
| Playing career | 2003–present | ||
Mikhail Jurjevič Grabovski (Belarusian: Міхаіл Юр'евiч Грабоўскі; born January 31, 1984), better known as Mikhail Grabovski (Russian: Михаил Грабовский), is a Belarusian professional ice hockey player currently playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL).
Early life
Grabovski was born in Potsdam, East Germany, where his father, Yury, worked in construction. The family returned to their native Belarus (then a Soviet Socialist Republic) when he was three years old. Grabovski was trained by Russian-educated coaches in the Yunost Minsk youth hockey program.
Playing career
Grabovski was drafted by the Montreal Canadiens 150th overall in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft and played his first NHL game with Montreal on January 6, 2007, against the New York Rangers. He played three games in the NHL before being sent back down to Montreal's American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Hamilton Bulldogs.
Grabovski started the 2007–08 season with the Canadiens, recording his first NHL point (an assist) on October 20, 2007, against the Buffalo Sabres and his first goal two days later against the Boston Bruins. After a March 6, 2008 game in Phoenix for which he was a healthy scratch, Grabovski, apparently frustrated by his exclusion from the lineup, flew to Los Angeles ahead of the rest of the team to speak with his agent, creating controversy in Montreal.
Grabovski was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs on July 3, 2008, in exchange for the draft rights to Greg Pateryn and a 2010 second round pick. He was suspended for three games in January 2009 for shoving an official during an altercation with his fellow Belarusian countryman Sergei Kostitsyn of the Montreal Canadiens, with whom he has maintained an ongoing feud dating back to his time with the Canadiens. Grabovski went on to finish with 20 goals and 48 points in his rookie season leading all NHL Eastern Conference rookies in scoring.
The Toronto Maple Leafs rewarded Grabovski for his rookie season performance by re-signing him to a 3 year contract worth a total of $8.7 million. This contract represents an average annual cap hit of $2.9 million.[1] Currently, Grabovski serves as the Maple Leafs alternate captain.
Personal
Grabovski and his girlfriend, Kate Van Alstyne had their first child, a daughter named Lily on December 30, 2010. He missed the Leafs' games against the Columbus Blue Jackets that night to be present at the birth.[2]
International play
He has represented Belarus in international play. He scored four goals and was the first star in one game (against tournament hosts Austria) in the 2005 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships. Grabovski was selected to play for his country in the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics.[3] However, he did not play due to injury.[4] He did, however, participate at the 2010 IIHF World Championship as a member of the Belarus National men's ice hockey team.[5]
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2003–04 | Neftekhimik | RSL | 45 | 6 | 11 | 17 | 26 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | ||
| 2004–05 | Neftekhimik | RSL | 60 | 16 | 20 | 36 | 32 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | ||
| 2005–06 | Dynamo Moscow | RSL | 48 | 10 | 18 | 28 | 28 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | ||
| 2006–07 | Hamilton Bulldogs | AHL | 66 | 17 | 37 | 54 | 34 | 20 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 21 | ||
| 2006–07 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2007–08 | Hamilton Bulldogs | AHL | 12 | 8 | 12 | 20 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2007–08 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 24 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2008–09 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 78 | 20 | 28 | 48 | 92 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2009–10 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 59 | 10 | 25 | 35 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| RSL totals | 153 | 32 | 49 | 81 | 86 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 10 | ||||
| NHL totals | 229 | 58 | 83 | 141 | 158 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
References
- ^ http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=283534
- ^ Hornby, Lance (2010-12-30). "Baby first for Grabovski". Toronto Sun. Retrieved 2010-12-31.
- ^ Longley, Rob. "Grabovski grabs Oly. spot". Canaoe.ca. Retrieved Dec.23, 2009.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help) - ^ http://www.torontosun.com/sports/hockey/2010/02/11/12842641.html
- ^ IIHF (2010). IIHF Media Guide & Record Book 2011. Moydart Press. p. 181. ISBN 978-0-9867964-0-1.