Many fans were left disappointed Wednesday night as potential first overall pick in the upcoming NHL draft, Nail Yakupov, skipped out on the Top Prospects game.One person who should not have been left disappointed is the player battling Yakupov for first overall. His name is Mikhail Grigorenko.
Grigorenko had a prime opportunity to display his talents in front of hundreds of scouts and have all their eyes on him. If Yakupov had played, Grigorenko still would have been on display, but in a more diluted fashion.
The Top Prospects game is one of the most important games for scouts to evaluate players. Aside from the World Junior Championship, this game is the single biggest indicator of how a player can fare against top competition.
Grigorenko did in fact impress, dazzling scouts with his vision and playmaking skills. There were some criticisms, but that was just white noise.
If Yakupov, a fellow Russian just like Grigorenko, had played, maybe scouts would have been solely focused on him, thus missing out on the brilliance that is Grigorenko.
And now, Grigorenko has been gifted another opportunity to shine, without Yakupov breathing down his neck.
David Branch, president of the CHL, and commissioner of the OHL (Where Yakupov plays), handed down a two game suspension to Yakupov for skipping out on the game.
This may come as a surprise to some, as Yakupov is the OHL’s biggest star, and main attraction, but skipping the game, without sufficient evidence of an injury, means an automatic two game ban. This is similar to the suspension Martin Frk of the Halifax Mooseheads, received for opting to rest, rather than participate for his country in the World Junior Championship.
Grigorenko, who has already played 14 more games than Yakupov, due to injury, needs to capitalize on every opportunity he can. Grigorenko’s points per game is 1.51 compared to Yakupov’s 1.89. That’s a wide margin to make up. That’s why these two games are crucial for Grigorenko.
The suspension to Yakupov could have happened to Grigorenko as well, had he not traveled to Kelowna for the game. But Grigorenko did go, much to the dismay of Remparts Head Coach and General Manager Patrick Roy.
Grigorenko was examined by doctors on site and cleared to play in the game.
And this is what Branch’s problem with the folks in Sarnia was. Had he at least taken the trip, the medical staff on site could have looked at him. If they deemed him not healthy enough to play, no suspension would have been handed down. Clearly though, it was more a case of him not participating, than being injured, as Yakupov was healthy enough to play in Sarnia’s game against Kingston just three days prior to the event.
So, again it is Grigorenko’s time to shine. While it is only a two game suspension, chances are, with Yakupov out, all eyes will again be turned to Grigorenko. If he can have a couple strong games, perhaps scouts will start paying attention to him more and more. Certainly when Yakupov returns, eyes will again be on him. But you can bet Grigorenko will do everything in his power to keep as much of the spotlight on him.
Hopefully the unintentional gift given to him by Branch can be repaid come the NHL draft in June in the form of going first overall.
You can bet Grigorenko would love nothing more.
jonathan@theqspot.ca
