Totaled 30 AHL Games between Binghamton and Rochester Last Season
HARTFORD, August 27, 2010: Hartford Wolf Pack general manager Jim Schoenfeld announced today that the Wolf Pack has signed forward Maxime Gratchev to an American Hockey League contract.
Gratchev, a 21-year-old native of Novosibirsk, Russia, is entering his second year of pro hockey. As a rookie this past season, the 5-11, 198-pounder split the campaign among the Binghamton Senators and Rochester Americans of the AHL and the Elmira Jackals of the ECHL.
In 17 games with Binghamton, Gratchev notched two goals and three assists for five points, along with 10 penalty minutes. In 13 outings in a Rochester uniform, he chipped in two goals and two assists for four points, while serving six minutes in penalties. Gratchev was also scoreless in two playoff games for the Americans.
In ECHL action with the Jackals in 2009-10, Gratchev scored at a better than a point-per-game pace, posting 17 goals and 24 assists for 41 points in 40 games, as well as 51 penalty minutes. His goal total of 17 was good for fifth on the Elmira club. Gratchev also tied for the second-most postseason goals on the Jackal team, tallying twice in five games. He also added a pair of assists for a total of four playoff points, along with eight penalty minutes.
Gratchev was a fourth-round pick (106th overall) by the New York Islanders in the 2007 NHL Draft, out of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), where he skated for five seasons prior to graduating to the pro ranks last year. Gratchev amassed career totals of 92 goals, 120 assists, 212 points and 377 PIM in 282 QMJHL games, with the Quebec Remparts, Rimouski Oceanic and Lewiston MAINEiacs.
Gratchev made his pro debut with the AHL’s Bridgeport Sound Tigers late in the 2008-09 season, suiting up for one regular season game (scoreless, two penalty minutes) and one postseason contest (scoreless, no PIM).
No, they're not related. And it doesn't look like this one will amount to a whole bunch, but at the very least, he could be a good Russian pal for the other Grachev.
No, they're not related. And it doesn't look like this one will amount to a whole bunch, but at the very least, he could be a good Russian pal for the other Grachev.
I've seen him play quite a bit and he's a really good, but raw player. I think that playing with some players with size will open up space for him offensively.
Thanks... What's better way to show up than with a minor news break. Anyway it's too bad - I was ready to go with new nicknames for Grachev and Gratchev - Big Bird and Little bird. Oh well...
FORWARDS
From NYR after training camp - of course pending other future roster moves: Two of Christiansen, White, Avery, MZA, Boyle, Kennedy (change to 3 players if Fedotenko somehow makes the NYR team)
Other Forwards competing:
Byers, Tessier, Williams, Grachev (Big Bird), Stepan, Weise, Gratchev (Little Bird - apparently signed in Russia?), Dupont, Newbury, Wilson, McNaught, Soryal, DiDiomete, Chapell, McCue, Horak (?)
DEFENSEMEN
From NYR after training camp -of course pending other future roster moves: Redden? + eventually one of Eminger, McD, Gilroy
Anyone that I missed or that should be omitted? I now have a hard time believing that Grachev, Stepan or Weise make the NYR team outta camp (they will be callups though) - But of course this can be proven wrong. Hopefully so... I still expect to see something done - ie erratically unexpected move(s) by Sather to change both rosters before the season starts. Time will tell...
FORWARDS
From NYR after training camp - of course pending other future roster moves: Two of Christiansen, White, Avery, MZA, Boyle, Kennedy (change to 3 players if Fedotenko somehow makes the NYR team)
Other Forwards competing:
Byers, Tessier, Williams, Grachev (Big Bird), Stepan, Weise, Gratchev (Little Bird - apparently signed in Russia?), Dupont, Newbury, Wilson, McNaught, Soryal, DiDiomete, Chapell, McCue, Horak (?)
DEFENSEMEN
From NYR after training camp -of course pending other future roster moves: Redden? + eventually one of Eminger, McD, Gilroy
Anyone that I missed or that should be omitted? I now have a hard time believing that Grachev, Stepan or Weise make the NYR team outta camp (they will be callups though) - But of course this can be proven wrong. Hopefully so... I still expect to see something done - ie erratically unexpected move(s) by Sather to change both rosters before the season starts. Time will tell...
I'm pretty sure Horak is going back to Chilliwack.
Good skater, has a nose for the net. 2nd best goal-scorer in Quinnipiac's D-I history, had over 20 goals in his freshman year. Hard-working, gritty, small but not afraid to crash the net, became one of the fan-favorites at QU.
Emerged as one of the best players in the ECAC conference, very well-regarded among college hockey people.
How well will that relate to the pro game? It's hard to tell. But he could emerge as a solid secondary scoring threat, I would hope.
Chad Johnson - Should be the starter in Hartford
Jordan Parise - Goalie with experience... Hartford backup?
Cam Talbot - 20 mins. of Pro experience... HFD backup or ECHL?
Scott Stajcer - Back to Juniors
And it doesn't look like this one will amount to a whole bunch, but at the very least, he could be a good Russian pal for the other Grachev.
