- Mikhail Grabovski
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Mikhail Grabovski Born January 31, 1984
Potsdam, East GermanyHeight 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) Weight 183 lb (83 kg; 13 st 1 lb) Position Centre Shoots Left NHL team
Former teamsToronto Maple Leafs
Montreal Canadiens (NHL)
Dynamo Moscow (RSL)
Neftekhimik (RSL)National team 
BelarusNHL Draft 150th overall, 2004
Montreal CanadiensPlaying career 2003–present Michail Jurjevič Hraboúski (Belarusian: Міхаіл Юр'евiч Грабоўскі; born January 31, 1984), better known as Mikhail Grabovski (Russian: Михаил Грабовский), or affectionately by fans as Grabo, is a Belarusian professional ice hockey player and alternate captain for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL).
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Early life
Grabovski was born in Potsdam, East Germany, where his father, Yury, worked in construction. The family returned to their native Belarus (then a Soviet Socialist Republic) when he was three years old. Grabovski was trained by Russian-educated coaches in the Yunost Minsk youth hockey program.
Playing career
Grabovski was drafted by the Montreal Canadiens 150th overall in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft and played his first NHL game with Montreal on January 6, 2007, against the New York Rangers. He played three games in the NHL before being sent back down to Montreal's American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Hamilton Bulldogs.
Grabovski started the 2007–08 season with the Canadiens, recording his first NHL point (an assist) on October 20, 2007, against the Buffalo Sabres and his first goal two days later against the Boston Bruins. After a March 6, 2008 game in Phoenix for which he was a healthy scratch, Grabovski, apparently frustrated by his exclusion from the lineup, flew to Los Angeles ahead of the rest of the team to speak with his agent, creating controversy in Montreal.
Grabovski was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs on July 3, 2008, in exchange for the draft rights to Greg Pateryn and a 2010 second round pick. He was suspended for three games in January 2009 for shoving an official during an altercation with his fellow Belarusian countryman Sergei Kostitsyn of the Montreal Canadiens, with whom he has maintained an ongoing feud dating back to his time with the Canadiens. Grabovski went on to finish with 20 goals and 48 points in his rookie season leading all NHL Eastern Conference rookies in scoring.
The Toronto Maple Leafs rewarded Grabovski for his rookie season performance by re-signing him to a 3 year contract worth a total of $8.7 million. This contract represents an average annual cap hit of $2.9 million.[1] His 58 points in the 2010-2011 NHL regular season is the highest amongst Maple Leaf centres since Mats Sundin's 78 points in the 2007-2008 NHL season.
International play
Grabovski with Team Belarus
He has represented Belarus in international play. He scored four goals and was the first star in one game (against tournament hosts Austria) in the 2005 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships. Grabovski was selected to play for his country in the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics.[2] However, he did not play due to injury.[3] He did, however, participate at the 2010 IIHF World Championship as a member of the Belarus National men's ice hockey team.[4] Grabovski was named captain of Team Belarus on the eve of 2011 IIHF World Championship in Slovakia.[5] Grabovski played in seven events for team Belarus.
Personal
Grabovski and his girlfriend, Kate Van Alstyne had their first child, a daughter named Lily on December 30, 2010. He missed the Leafs' game against the Columbus Blue Jackets that night to be present at the birth.[6] Grabovski was arrested during the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics, when he was involved in a bar fight.
Career statistics
Regular season Playoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 2003–04 Neftekhimik RSL 45 6 11 17 26 5 0 0 0 4 2004–05 Neftekhimik RSL 60 16 20 36 32 3 2 0 2 2 2005–06 Dynamo Moscow RSL 48 10 18 28 28 4 0 0 0 4 2006–07 Hamilton Bulldogs AHL 66 17 37 54 34 20 4 7 11 21 2006–07 Montreal Canadiens NHL 3 0 0 0 0 — — — — — 2007–08 Hamilton Bulldogs AHL 12 8 12 20 6 — — — — — 2007–08 Montreal Canadiens NHL 24 3 6 9 8 — — — — — 2008–09 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 78 20 28 48 92 — — — — — 2009–10 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 59 10 25 35 10 — — — — — 2010–11 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 81 29 29 58 60 — — — — — RSL totals 153 32 49 81 86 12 2 0 2 10 NHL totals 245 62 88 150 170 — — — — — International
Year Team Event Place GP G A Pts PIM 2004 Belarus WJC 5 4 5 9 0 2004 Belarus WC 18th 5 2 1 3 8 2005 Belarus WC 10th 6 4 1 5 2 2006 Belarus WC 6th 7 5 4 9 2 2008 Belarus WC 9th 5 0 3 3 0 2010 Belarus WC 10th 6 0 3 3 6 2011 Belarus WC 14th 6 2 2 4 2 International totals 35 13 14 27 20 References
- ^ http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=283534
- ^ Longley, Rob. "Grabovski grabs Oly. spot". Canaoe.ca. http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Olympics/2010Vancouver/News/2009/12/23/12252741-qmi.html?cid=rsssportsolympics. Retrieved Dec.23, 2009.
- ^ http://www.torontosun.com/sports/hockey/2010/02/11/12842641.html
- ^ IIHF (2010). IIHF Media Guide & Record Book 2011. Moydart Press. p. 181. ISBN 978-0-9867964-0-1.
- ^ http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=363940
- ^ Hornby, Lance (2010-12-30). "Baby first for Grabovski". Toronto Sun. http://www.torontosun.com/sports/hockey/2010/12/30/16714981.html. Retrieved 2010-12-31.
External links
Categories:- 1984 births
- Belarusian ice hockey players
- Expatriate ice hockey players in Russia
- Hamilton Bulldogs players
- HC Dynamo Moscow players
- HC Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk players
- Living people
- Montreal Canadiens draft picks
- Montreal Canadiens players
- Belarusian expatriates in Canada
- Toronto Maple Leafs players
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