Here comes Mikhail Grabovsky...

[LoupDogg]

Before Mr. B translates this, I thought some might be able to read it in french...

Canadien

Voici Mikhail Grabovsky...

Mathias Brunet

La Presse

Le Canadien espère avoir réussi le coup le plus fumant du repêchage 2004.

Trevor Timmins et son équipe de recruteurs en ont étonné plus d'un à Raleigh cet été en sélectionnant lors de la cinquième ronde un jeune Biélorusse dont le nom n'apparaissait même pas sur la liste de la centrale de recrutement de la LNH.

Mikhail Grabovsky, 20 ans, a été ignoré par toutes les équipes de la Ligue nationale lors de ses deux premières années d'admissibilité en 2002 et 2003. Mais les recruteurs du Tricolore ont eu l'occasion de le voir à l'oeuvre à plusieurs reprises ces dernières saisons puisque Grabovsky jouait en compagnie du plus bel espoir de l'équipe, Andrei Kostitsyn, lors des compétitions internationales de son pays.

Le centre de 5'11 et 181 livres est encore considéré comme un «projet», mais son début de saison dans la Ligue d'élite en Russie renverse les connaisseurs. Malgré son âge, Grabovsky vient au 13e rang des compteurs en Russie avec 12 points, dont six buts, en 20 matchs, dans une ligue où les buts se font rares.

En comparaison, Alexander Ovechkin, premier choix de la LNH en 2004, a neuf points en 16 matchs.

«Mikhail connaît une saison très productive, mais il y a beaucoup plus important que les points dans son cas, mentionne le recruteur du Canadien en Russie, Nikolai Vakourov. Je l'ai vu jouer à deux reprises cette saison avec le Neftekhimik et sa progression est phénoménale. Il a réussi à se hisser au deuxième rang des compteurs de son équipe même s'il joue au sein du quatrième trio avec des partenaires plutôt ordinaires. Il est déjà très responsable défensivement et il contrôle le jeu lorsqu'il est sur la glace. Il possède beaucoup de vitesse et il a une très bonne vision périphérique.»<br>
Vakourov suivait Grabovsky depuis déjà quelques saisons. «Nous le connaissions bien. Mais il était très petit de taille à sa première année d'éligibilité et il ne jouait pas comme il joue aujourd'hui. Il a grandi de deux ou trois pouces ces dernières années et ses succès l'an dernier à sa première saison dans la Ligue d'élite de Russie nous ont convaincus de le repêcher. Voilà un jeune homme qui venait de nulle part, qui a réussi à se tailler un poste avec un bon club de la Ligue d'élite et qui a tout de même obtenu 17 points, dont six buts, en 45 matchs, ce qui n'est pas vilain pour un aussi jeune joueur.»<br>
Le dépisteur professionnel chez le Canadien, Pierre Gauthier, l'a aussi vu à l'oeuvre à deux reprises avant le repêchage, lors du Championnat du monde junior pendant les Fêtes et au Championnat du monde senior B au printemps.

«J'allais voir Kostitsyn et Grabovsky m'est apparu, raconte Gauthier. Au Championnat du monde avec les hommes, il a peut-être même mieux joué que Kostitsyn. Ce n'est pas un gros bonhomme, mais il joue bien dans les coins. C'est davantage un fabricant de jeu qu'un marqueur. Il est déjà prêt pour la Ligue américaine mais il avait déjà signé son contrat en Russie. Il a le style de jeu pour bien s'adapter au hockey nord-américain. Il est parmi les meilleurs compteurs du circuit au milieu de joueurs talentueux provenant non seulement de Russie, mais aussi de Suède, de Finlande et de République tchèque.»<br>
Le Canadien n'a pris aucun risque et il l'a sélectionné dès la cinquième ronde. «Peu importe le statut du joueur, si tu l'aimes, ne tarde pas trop, dit Gauthier. C'est ce que mon expérience m'a appris. On l'a choisi au bon moment.

[LoupDogg]

Still not perfect, but slightly better than automated translations


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Here's Mikhail Grabovsky...

The Canadiens hopes to have picked the more promising surprise out of the 2004 draft.

Trevor Timmins and its team of recruiters surprised more than one in Raleigh this summer by selecting a young Beloruse whose name didn’t appear on the NHL lists in the fifth round. 20 years old Mikhail Grabovsky was ignored by all the teams of the League in his first two years of admissibility in 2002 and 2003. But the recruiters of the Tricolore had the chance to see him play on several occasions these last seasons, since Grabovsky played in company of the team’s most beautiful prospect, Andrei Kostitsyn, at the time of the international competitions of its country.

The center of 5'11 and 181 pounds is still regarded as a "project", but his performances since the beginning of the season in the Russia Elite League has coufounded more than one expert. In spite of its age, Grabovsky comes 13rd in scoring with 12 points, including six goals, in 20 matches, in a league where goals are scarce.

In comparison, Alexander Ovechkin, the first choice of the NHL draft in 2004, has nine points in 16 matches.

"Mikhail is having a very productive season, but there is more important matters than the points in his case, says Nikolai Vakourov, the Canadien’s recruiter in Russia. I saw him play twice this season with his team of Neftekhimik and his progression is simply phenomenal. He achieves being the second scorer on his team even as he’s playing on the fourth trio with rather ordinary partners. He’s already very responsible defensively and controls the play when he’s on the ice. He has a lot of speed and has a very good peripheral vision."

Vakourov had already followed Grabovsky for a few seasons. "We knew him well. But he was very small in his first two years of eligibility and he did not play as does now. He has grown of two or three more inches these last years and his successes last years in his first season in the Russian Elite League convinced us to draft him. Here is a young man who came from nowhere, which succeeded in obtaining a place on a very good team of the Elite league and still managed to obtain 17 points, including six goals, in 45 matches, which is not unpleasant for such a young player."

The professional depistor of the Canadiens, Pierre Gauthier, had also seen the kid twice before the draft, at the time of the Junior World Championship during the holidays and with the Senior World Championship (B) in spring.

"I went to see Kostitsyn and Grabovsky appeared to me, tells Gauthier. In the Senior World Championship, he might have been even better than Kostitsyn. He,s no big man, , but he plays well in the corners. He’s more of a playmaker than a scorer. He is already ready for the American Hockey League but he had already signed his contract in Russia. His style of play shows that he’ll easily adapt to the North-American hockey. He is among the best scorers of the circuit, amongst talented players coming not only from Russia, but also from Sweden, Finland and the Czech Republic."

The Canadiens took no risk in chosing him in the fifth round. " The statute pf the player doesn’t matter, if you like him, don’t delay too much, says Gauthier. That’s what I’ve learned from my experience. We selected him at the good time.”<br>

[M. Beaux-Eaux]

Ooey Gooey good. Thanks!

Time for a Grabovsky bar...

[NWTHabsFan]

It is always good to see increasing development in our young prospects. In Grabovsky's case, he has already matched his rookie season RSL goal output in 23 less games, all while playing on the 4th line with "ordinary" line mates. I really like the reports that he has experienced a little growth spurt and also that his style of play would easily adapt to North American hockey. IMO, both Vakourov and Gauthier have earned their stripes in the player assessment world and I value their positive endorsements, having never seen this young Belarusian play myself.

Given that our two top left wing prospects (Higgins and Hossa) are both making strong cases for a move to Montreal post-lockout, it would be good to have another skilled left winger like Grabovsky in Hamilton sooner rather than later.

[seventeen]

This is light years from the Dark Ages of the Corey era. While we're ecstatic over the progress of the young guys we expect to do well (Higgins, Kostco, Komi), other guys keep surfacing (Pleks, Grabovsky, Halak etc) who didn't register at all on any real radar screen. The depth this organization is building up is little short of phenomenal. Did I forget Korpikari? Maybe he's not quite up to the level of Pleks and Grabovsky, but a good prospect nonetheless. I figure Toronto fans must be out of saliva by now from the constant, envious drooling. Andre Savard deserves a lot of credit for building up the scouting staff, and to show I'm not a mean spirited SOB (only some of the time), Reggie deserves credit for hiring Vakourov.

PS. Didn't I say about a thousand posts ago that the scouting staff would have to be the backbone of this team? And they've become just that.

[NWTHabsFan]

seventeen said:

PS. Didn't I say about a thousand posts ago that the scouting staff would have to be the backbone of this team? And they've become just that.

I also think the the range of scouting is quite impressive as well. In the last five years (the changing of the scouting guard IMO), here is from where we have found our 45 draft picks:

QMJHL - 10
OHL - 7
Russia - 5
NCAA - 4
WHL - 4
Czech Republic - 4
Finland - 3
Sweden - 2
US High School - 2
US Junior Leagues (EJHL, USHL, etc.) - 1
Cdn Junior A (BCHL, etc.) - 1
Slovakia - 1
Switzerland - 1

A slight favouritism towards the neighbouring QMJHL, but not as overwhelming as many would think. Urquhart and Lapierre in the 2nd round of 2003 were the earliest Q picks in this sample. The Habs tend to pick some later round picks from the Q, no doubt from players they get to see more often. What is really striking is the range of leagues and countries from which we scout, and ultimately draft players. Not only are they a good crew, but they get around!!

[BadCompany]

NWTHabsFan said:

IMO, both Vakourov and Gauthier have earned their stripes in the player assessment world...

I'm not sure Vakourov has missed yet (assuming he recommended every Russian the Habs have picked). Only Kruchinin hasn't panned out, or looks like a no-hoper, and he was drafted in the 7th round (Buturlin was drafted out of the OHL, not Russia).

Since 1998:

1998:

Andrei Markov: Good job.

Andrei Kruchinin: A miss

1999:

Vadim Tarasov: In my opinion, would have made it, were it not for a nagging groin injury, a nagging wife, and Montreal's depth in nets.

2000:

No Russians. We missed out on Frolov and Volchenkov.

2001:

Perezhoghin: Good job.

2002:

Korneyev: Looking very decent, for the 275th pick in the draft. A dark-horse, for sure, but still...

2003:

Kostitsyin: No complaints.

2004:

Yemelin

Grabovsky

Early still, but both looking promising.

In 6 years, we have drafted 8 Russians. One is in the NHL, and one of our best defensemen (Markov). Two others are our top prospects (Perezhoghin and Kostitsyin), 3 others are very good prospects (Korneev, Yemelin, Grabovsky), and one should have made it, were it not for a home-sick wife (Tarasov).

6 of 8 have above average chances of making it, 1 should have made it, and one looks like a bust.

I'll take that average.

[Habs_fan_in_LA]

BadCompany said:

I'm not sure Vakourov has missed yet (assuming he recommended every Russian the Habs have picked). Only Kruchinin hasn't panned out, or looks like a no-hoper, and he was drafted in the 7th round (Buturlin was drafted out of the OHL, not Russia).

Since 1998:

1998:

Andrei Markov: Good job.

Andrei Kruchinin: A miss

1999:

Vadim Tarasov: In my opinion, would have made it, were it not for a nagging groin injury, a nagging wife, and Montreal's depth in nets.

2000:

No Russians. We missed out on Frolov and Volchenkov.

2001:

Perezhoghin: Good job.

2002:

Korneyev: Looking very decent, for the 275th pick in the draft. A dark-horse, for sure, but still...

2003:

Kostitsyin: No complaints.

2004:

Yemelin

Grabovsky

Early still, but both looking promising.

In 6 years, we have drafted 8 Russians. One is in the NHL, and one of our best defensemen (Markov). Two others are our top prospects (Perezhoghin and Kostitsyin), 3 others are very good prospects (Korneev, Yemelin, Grabovsky), and one should have made it, were it not for a home-sick wife (Tarasov).

6 of 8 have above average chances of making it, 1 should have made it, and one looks like a bust.

I'll take that average.

I'm impressed with the late round picks. Anybody can pick Ovchekin or Kovalchuk, but finding Yemelin or Grabovsky in the late rounds shows that the scout can discover what others have overlooked.