Grabovski: The Cancer?

Last summer saw the Toronto Maple Leafs blow away 60% of their roster in various trades and mostly through buy-outs. The myriad of trades, in the NHL in generall as well as in Toronto, let many of them slide under the radar.

But one of these trades seemed particularly different from the rest. The trade over the summer that saw Mikhail Grabovski head to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for a pair of draft picks seemed highly suspicious to me. Why would Montreal move such a talented young centreman with relative ease? Before you say it, yes he is 24 and is old for a prospect, and yes, he could have pulled a Nikulin and demanded a trade out of Hamilton.

He was part of a youth injection last season that saw the rise of the Kostitsyn brothers, Carey Price, Ryan O'Byrne, and Jaroslav Halak (among others). Usually when you creating this type of movement, the players become good friends and are difficult to separate (see late 80s Oilers) without breaking some friendships and certainly, chemistry. But to move part of this and one of your top prospects relatively easily... is, well... wierd.

A few more pieces of them puzzle were unveiled last night in dramatic fashion. For those of you who watched Montreal and Toronto, you would have noticed some Steve Ott and Sean Avery antics from this game. Coming from a surprising source, Grabovski.

Don Cherry kindly pointed out to us that Grabovski actually butt ended Price in the stomach while no one was watching(I think you are underestimating the sneakiness). Why would he do that to one of his former friends/teammates? Sure an advantage in the game but it sure seemed like more than that.

We later saw Saku Koivu personally deliver a message to Mr. Grabovski after a hit in the corner. What that message was seemed to me like a warning that this butt end would not go unnoticed (not so sneaky). You know that when Saku sends that type of message, you better pay attention.

Sergei Kostitsyn sure payed attention to what Koivu said and showed his passion by flooring Grabovski on an illegal hit late in the third period. This kid is a beauty, playing the role of Georges Laraque in the feather weight class is not something you see everyday from a 5'11'' kid from Novoplotsk, Belarus.

One of the more telling points was when Grabovski was asked how many friends he had left in Montreal. This was before the game, and his response was simple "none".

Mark this in the book of hockey as two very different team models. One with strong leadership that is respected and obeyed. And another that is just now forming its path without a leader to guide the way.





I hope this isn't the true colours of Grabovski we are seeing but it seems as though this young star won't be able to hide with the scrutiny that the Toronto media so aptly applies.