Wings sign Grigorenko
Six years ago, the Detroit Red Wings drafted Igor Grigorenko in the second round and quickly became their top prospect. Unfortunately, he almost died in a car accident only two years after being drafted. He suffered multiple broken bones in his legs and almost died from a fat embolism in his lung while recovering in the hospital. Four years later, GM Ken Holland has signed Grigorenko to a one year two-way contract and will give him a shot at making the roster at training camp this September.
The 5-foot-10, 209-pound left wing is no longer the Wings’ top prospect, but he still has an intriguing set of skills. Next season, the Wings will see if he’s ready to play in the NHL. The club has signed Grigorenko to a one-year entry level contract worth $858,800. He’ll be competing for a job in training camp in Traverse City this fall.
“He was a real top prospect for us a number of years ago but unfortunately had that accident,” Wings general manager Ken Holland said. “He’s had a couple of years where he’s been able to play and get healthy. We feel it’s time to come over and see where he’s at.”
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He’s got great hands, a goal-scoring touch. He can drive to the net, he’s hard to knock around, he’s so solid,” Holland said. “Skating was the only part of his game he had to improve on. Obviously, the accident set him back.”
Before the accident, Grigorenko was talented enough to play on the same line with Detroit’s Pavel Datsyuk and Atlanta’s Ilya Kovalchuk in the 2003 World Hockey Championships.
“When you bring a European player over you never know, but we feel the timing is right and he’s as healthy as he’s ever been,” Holland said. “How’s his speed going to be and how’s he going to react to physical play?”
Grigorenko will make $858,800 with the Wings, but will only bring in $70,000 with the Grand Rapids Griffins (the Wings’ AHL affiliate). His two-way contract “allows him to return to Russia after spending about three weeks with the Wings’ AHL affiliate, Grand Rapids, at the start of the season if he doesn’t earn a spot on the NHL roster.”
Red Wings Central has more on this former top prospect:
The 5-foot-10, 209-pound right-winger recently completed his fourth season in Russia since recovering from serious injuries suffered in a May, 2003, car accident. He had 14 goals and 13 assists for 27 points in 49 games for his hometown Russian Elite League team, Lada Togliatti.
The Red Wings expect the 24-year-old to compete for an NHL roster spot out of training camp next season. He’s strong, stocky and competitive and has terrific offensive skills and instincts. …
Grigorenko, whose top-end speed hasn’t been the same since he broke his femur and fractured his tibia in two places in the car accident, made roughly $1 million tax free in Russia this past season.
He was drafted in the second round (62nd overall) in 2001 and is ranked third in RedWingsCentral.com’s most recent prospect ranking, behind goaltender Jimmy Howard and defenseman Jakub Kindl.
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