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Buffalo Sabres Prospects: Mikhail Grigorenko’s Future

By Tim Redinger

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Where is the relationship between the Buffalo Sabres and Mikhail Grigorenko at?  The first three years with the organization the relationship seemed strained, almost forced.

The Sabres drafted Mikhail Grigorenko 12th overall in the 2012 draft.  Yes – he is a first round draft pick, taken at a time when the Buffalo Sabres were not very deep at the center position, now three years later, the exact opposite is true, and Mikhail Grigorenko finds himself thrust down the depth chart, and seemingly on the outskirts of the Buffalo Sabres plan for the future.

Heading into next season, the Buffalo Sabres will have Sam Reinhart and Jack Eichel, seemingly ready to make the NHL jump.  Eichel will most likely be center number one, and if Reinhart is ready for the NHL, will most likely make the jump to the number two or number three center.

Drafted in the same class as Grigorenko but two positions lower, Zemgus Girgensons has emerged as not only a fan favorite (in the 716 and in his home country of Latvia), but as a dominant center in the Buffalo Sabres organization.  He will most likely be the second or third overall center.

That leaves Mikhail Grigorenko and Johan Larsson battling for the final center spot.  Larsson has in my opinion, played better as of late for the team, and will make the blue and gold over Grigorenko.

Where did it go wrong with Grigorenko?  Rushed into the National Hockey League, the Buffalo Sabres burned the first year of his entry level deal by allowing him to play more than the “tryout” allowed before sending him back to juniors.  Year two of his contract didn’t end up much better, after starting the campaign with the Buffalo Sabres, he was reassigned to the Quebec Remparts and finally reported initially after refusing to do so.

Did that refusal sour a relationship?  Has the organization pushed him down the depth chart?  The third season of his entry level deal he split time finally between the American Hockey League Rochester Americans and the Buffalo Sabres.

Where does that leave the Buffalo Sabres now?  Grigorenko is now an unrestricted free agent, and will most likely be retained by the Buffalo Sabres.  I do not think there is enough value given Grigorenko’s performance at the NHL level to leverage him in a trade at the 2015 NHL – unless he is going to be part of a package deal.

Buffalo could definitely use Grigorenko and a second round draft pick in this years selection to move back into the first round if they wanted to, or use Grigorenko with the 21st overall pick in the first round to jump into the top ten of the first round, allowing themselves to get into the conversation of the guys in the 5-10 range of the draft which are projected highly, or even push to try and get Dylan Strome.

Grigorenko isn’t Tim Murray’s guy – hell, even if he was, Tim Murray would move him if the right deal came along.

The best situation for both however, is to start the young forward with the Rochester Americans (if indeed Larsson can out play him for a position during training camp).  The Rochester Americans need good quality depth, missing the post season, and adding to their streak of not winning an AHL playoff series since the 2005 Calder Cup.

So we pow wowed as a team here at Sabrenoise, and here are some other opinions on what the Buffalo Sabres can do with Mikhail Grigorenko:

What would you do with Mikhail Grigorenko? It isn’t like he doesn’t have the talent – just where would he benefit the most, and benefit the Sabres the most?

Next: Do The Buffalo Sabres Have a Curse On Captains?

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