Last season proved to be a difficult one for second year Leafs - namely Luke Schenn and John Mitchell. Although, they weren’t the only players on the Leafs who struggled at times. Third-year player Mikhail Grabovski had his ups and down last season, but off-ice troubles and an injured wrist midway through the season essentially wrote his year off and left the team wanting more from their projected second line centre.Grabovski is one of the only remaining Leafs acquired in the Cliff Fletcher era. The Leafs originally sent defensive prospect Greg Pateryn and a second round draft pick to Montreal, which was in turn flipped to Chicago in exchange for veteran centre Robert Lang. Pateryn is a sturdy 6-2, 212-pound defenseman who is entering his third season with the University of Michigan.
It has been two-and-a-half years since the trade, but no real judgements can be made until Greg Pateryn makes it to the NHL, if ever, and if Grabovski rebounds this season. At this point, the trade looks fairly even judging by the fact that Grabovski has put up a solid 48-point season already and Montreal has a promising prospect on the rise. With Robert Lang no longer playing in the NHL, the Canadiens have nothing to show for in the short term, but may win the trade down the road.
Grabovski can prove his critics wrong by starting the season strong and staying healthy all year. His penchant for being soft and shying away in the corners has affected his ability to rack up points. However, he excels when carrying the puck into the offensive zone and dishing it off to his linemates for a shot. Grabovski has slick hands and a strong wrist shot, but that will only take him so far. If he plays with a more physical linemate like Colby Armstrong, he can focus on the skill aspect of the game as opposed to doing the dirty work.
Judging by his skill set and previous point total of 48 points, Grabovski is capable of scoring 55-60 points this season if he plays in all 82 games. Failing that, he can be leaned on for at least 40 points.
Toronto is criticized for their lack of size and experience at centre, so Grabovski is on the hot seat to produce in a second line role. If he is unable to meet those standards, all signs point to him being shipped out the door. Brian Burke wants to round out his top six forwards with skilled players who can fulfill their specific roles. Grabovski will be given every opportunity to shine, but at the same time, is on a short leash if he underperforms.
So many questions surround Grabovski, including the alleged assault charges on a incident that occurred during the Vancouver Olympics in February, that leave the team questioning his place in the organization. His play in the short term will determine if he will be part of the team’s long term plan.
2009-10 Statistics
59 games, 10 goals, 25 assists, 35 points, 10 penalty minutes
2010-11 Prediction
75 games, 22 goals, 36 assists, 58 points, 30 penalty minutes
3 Burning Questions
1 – Do you think Grabovski can rebound after a negative season last year and build on his 48-point season this year?
2 – How many points do you realistically think Grabovski can score?
3 – Would you rather have Nazem Kadri or another prospect centre the Leafs second line than Mikhail Grabovski?
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