Its not likely to happen, however, if Mikhail Grigorenko plays junior hockey next season, it will NOT be for the Quebec Remparts. Grigo will either be in Buffalo or Rochester next season. Its a safe bet that the chapter has closed on outstanding junior hockey career.
Today, his Remparts GM Patrick Roy spoke candidly about the effect that Grigo had on his team in the playoffs, most notably in the second round loss to Rouyn-Noranda.
"Grigorenko will not return to us. I finished it because I could never have guaranteed the Buffalo Sabres, "he said.
Roy says its time to balance out his roster.
Roy admitted that the transition period after the arrival of new players in January and the start of Mikhail Grigorenko for Buffalo Sabres have been "more difficult than anticipated."
Roy said that his team played well on the round one playoff victory over Chicoutimi. However, he said that Grigo and others struggled against a more advanced second round opponent on Rouyn-Noranda.
Roy made his comments to CBC radio.
(I translated using Google Translator)
Nothing is a given in Buffalo, according to Ron Rolston.
The Sabres interim head coach said today that Mikhail Grigorenko will have to make a serious impression on the coaching staff in order to earn his way back into the Buffalo Sabres' lineup. The Sabres now have two extra skaters in the forwards group. If Grigo is going to play stick, stay and play, he'll have to take another man's job. So be it. After his first 60 minute Sabres practice in a month, Grigo spoke with the media today. He's up for the challenge.
Thanks, sabres.com
Grigo said that his return to QCity was beneficial for him. he played over 20 minutes TOI per game, and was on the ice in key moments. The Ramparts PP became all the more powerful and effective when Grigo returned to the lineup of the Remparts. Playing 6 minutes or less in Buffalo, riding dirty with Big John Scott wasn't adding any value to the kid's NHL development. It was best for the kid to return to Patrick Roy's bench in order to regain his confidence and to pump new vim and vigor back into his dynamic game.
Grigo told me that he feels that he is in excellent physical condition right now. The Khaborovsk native has played 77 games for 4 different teams since last August.
Here's his impressive body of work:
33 regular season games played for the Quebec Remparts
11 playoff games in QCity
22 games played in Buffalo between the end of January and mid-March
7 games that he dominated in for Russia at the World Junior Championships
4 exhibition games played at the U20 Subway Summit Series last August.
The kid has a ton of tread still left on his high performance tires.
Time to take the finely tuned sports car out of the garage and to take it for a blast.
Were he not in Buffalo right now living the NHL dream, rookie D Chad Ruhwedel most likely would have been at the Boston Marathon with friends and UMass-Lowell teammates on Monday afternoon.
Today, I asked him about the enormity of it all.
“I had a lot of friends and teammates that were at the (Boston) Marathon. it’s a huge day in Boston, they said it was pretty serious, but they weren’t anywhere near it.”
Ruhwedel said that he was worried about them.
“I called them all right away to make sure that they were ok”
“Rudy” told me that it will be great to see his Umass-Lowell teammates and friends o Wednesday when the Sabres play in Boston.
“Yeah, there’s going to be a lot of people there. A lot of teammates and a lot of friends from school. it’s a little added pressure but it should be fine”
***
Thomas Vanek expressed his concern for the victims and the families of the Boston Marathon event.
“You always are affected by news like this, especially when you hear are kids involved. You have your own kids, we all have families. Its sad.”
**
Nathan Gerbe knows the Boston region like the back of his hand, having played at Boston College. On this day, Gerbe reflected on the terror in Boston.
“You know exactly where it is, I’ve walked past there I can’t tell you how many times. At times, for yourself, you thank God for keeping safe when something like this happens. Its embarrassing for our world that to affect innocent people and innocent children. Its sad.”
Gerbe has been to the Boston Marathon several times over the years and he has vivid memories of the event.
“I did. For a few years. Its an awesome event. It’s a great atmosphere, and a great party to celebrate a great thing (Patriot’s Day) to watch the people run is a big goal for the people who participate in it its unbelievable feat to happen in your life and to accomplish it. Its sad that something like that had to happen”.
Gerbe was asked to reflect on the enormity of the tragedy. What were his first thoughts?
“The first thing that went through my mind is that you hope no one dies, that’s the first thing. Then your prayers go out to all the families when you do hear news and then you think about the people you know there and the people they love and you hope their safe and you try to reach out to them to make sure that they are ok and their families are ok, Luckily for myself, everyone I know is ok.”
Gerbe says that he will not walk around Boston later tonight or tomorrow. He says that he will just stay at the hotel rather than to go outside.
Sabres GM Darcy Regier just updated the media on the status of the team traveling to Boston, and, the future plans for rookie Mikhail Grigorenko.
The team is scheduled to leave Buffalo for Boston at 3pm, as first planned. Regier says that he is awaiting a call from the NHL anmd Boston Bruins to make certain that Wednesday night's game is still on. The Boston Marathon bombing event is the only thing that matters right now, and Regier says that he will await word on whether the game will be played. Regier expects increased security and the Boston airport.
More Regier to come...
Mikhail Grigorenko is in Buffalo for the time being. Grigo is skating now with the team and will make the trip to Boston with the team. Regier says that Grigo will not play in Boston, hwoever, he will play in the remaining five games for Buffalo. he will not be sent to AHL Rochester for the immediate future.
Regier says that he spoke with an excited Grigorenko on Monday and informed him directly of the team's plans to bring the rookie back to Buffalo. Its a full circle move for Grigo. Regier said that he told the kid when he was demoted to Quebec on 3/15/13, that if/when the Remparts were eliminated from the QMJHL playoffs, that the Sabres intended to bring him back to Buffalo to finish the development work here that he had started. Grigo played 22 games in Buffalo before he was sent back to juniors.
Regier said that he spoke with Remparts head coach Patrick Roy on Monday. The reports about Grigo's attitude and effort while back in QCity were very good, said the Sabres GM>
I'm at the arena now, and will speak with Grigo shortly.
Regier says" "I want to see where his game is".Regier spoke with Patrick Roy yesterday. Doubts Grigo will be in lineup tomorrow
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