I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again…The Wings need to hire a “minder” for Grigorenko, someone who fluently speaks Russian and English and is willing to help him with paying his rent, shopping for groceries, and doing everyday tasks which are made doubly difficult with the language barrier.  It’s his off-ice struggles that are being reflected in his on-ice play, and the Wings need to eliminate those distractions.

Posted by George Malik from South Lyon, MI on 10/22/07 at 01:43 PM ET

George, I’ll defer to your perspective on Igor’s distraction issues.  Everything I’ve read about Igor leads me to believe he has great skill and hockey instint—at the same time, most of the articles I’ve read question his speed. 

If he has posted no points with the Griff’s, what basis does anyone have to believe that he will do any different (i.e. better) with the big-boys? 

Don’t get me wrong, I’d love to see him strut like a big-dog.  But at this time, what has he done to earn that privilege??

Posted by Jeff OKWingnut from Quest for 12 on 10/22/07 at 01:51 PM ET

He doesn’t deserve a spot, the wings brass knows this, or else that wouldn’t have requested him to stay down in GR.  It makes me, as a fan, a little angry that he is trying to force his way on to the team.  He didn’t show up to the mid summer camp because of a visa problem… you have a chance to play in the N.H.L!! get it figured out ahead of time! get to camp, learn how to come to camp in shape, learn the language of where you want to live (he had several months), and work hard. He didn’t do any of this.  His skills are there, but he has no work ethic. 

I do think they need to get a translator who is not his agent, because you know that guy is a crook.

I wouldn’t dress him above Ellis or Downey at this point.

Posted by Jdunc from Flint, MI on 10/22/07 at 02:07 PM ET

At this point, Grigorenko should just go back to Russia.  It’s best for both parties.  He clearly doesn’t have the desire or commitment to be an NHL-caliber player with the Wings, and the Wings don’t have the ice-time or the roster spot to waste on him.

Or, here’s an intriguing idea… why not try trading the guy?  Get something back for him, anything, instead of just letting him go back to Russia with no return at all.  And who knows, in a different Org Grigorenko might have a better shot or get more time.  The Blues, Florida, the Coyotes… these teams might be able to give him the ice-time (and the time, period) that he needs.

The Grigorenko Experiment is over though, for all intents and purposes, and it is a complete failure.  A lot of bluster and hype, with no work and return.  He didn’t want it bad enough…

Posted by Primis from Michigan on 10/22/07 at 02:17 PM ET

I think George can probably speak to this, but doesn’t Grigs remain the property of the Wings if he ever tries to play in the NHL?

I thought that through the crap with Russia not agreeing to the IIHF rules that players like Grigs that whose rights were owned by NHL clubs were essentially indefinately tied to that NHL club, with escape only existing in Russia.

Please shed some light!

Posted by Nathan on 10/22/07 at 02:45 PM ET

My opinion of Igor is formed by reading what others reporters/writers have said about him. Even then those reports have been questionable.

The one thing that does stand out is that he seems to be high maintenance and either he or his agent is very stubborn.

Posted by TheFreak on 10/22/07 at 04:05 PM ET

Nathan,

Grigorenko is, indeed, Wings property as long as there is no IIHF agreement with Russia. So, they can afford to let him go back home and try to sort things out.

Maybe Igor just needed a “reality check” in his first trip to the AHL/NHL. Maybe he’ll take it all to heart and spend the next nine months getting in shape and learning some basic English.

Personally, I think he’ll be happy to stay in Russia and collect a million (or two) a year for the next five years and then retire to a nice dacha in the country.

Damn shame he had that accident. I think fighting back from that took all of the fight out of him.

Posted by OlderThanChelios from Grand Rapids on 10/22/07 at 04:21 PM ET

I might be a little too optimistic here but I think he could be a fourth line plugger for a couple weeks. Maybe he’ll surprise us.  Maybe not.  Who knows???

Okay, ask yourself this… Robert Lang (last year on the Wings roster)or Igor Grigorenko (currently)?  Could Grigs be worse than the Enigma?  Could he possibly be worse than Lilja?

Posted by cementslinger from Midland MI on 10/22/07 at 06:36 PM ET

cementslinger -

“Could he possibly be worse than Lilja?”

Well, as much as I despise Lilja, at least he can skate a full shift without acting like he’s about to die.  He’ll have turned the puck over twice in that shift, but…

Posted by Primis on 10/22/07 at 07:13 PM ET

Thanks for the clarification.

I just re-read my post, and frankly, I’m amazed you could figure out what I was asking!

Posted by Nathan on 10/22/07 at 07:51 PM ET

As OTC says, as long as the NHL does not have a transfer agreement with the Russians, and it doesn’t look like that will happen anytime soon—unless the oligarchs who own the Superleague’s franchises will agree to a nice flat fee of $200,000 per player signed, to be divided up among the Superleague’s respective clubs (I believe there are 18 at present)—so Grigorenko will, theoretically, remain the Red Wings’ property for the vast majority of his NHL career. 

Even if he does become a free agent, it is highly unlikely that his inability to succeed as a Red Wing will attract teams to him unless he miraculously gains two or three steps and starts putting up point-per-game numbers in the Superleague again, which is not an easy feat as it’s trap hockey to the extreme over there. 

All of that being said, I’m not writing the kid off until he’s on a Lufthansa flight to Frankfurt with transfers to Moscow and Ufa.

Posted by George Malik from South Lyon, MI on 10/23/07 at 04:02 AM ET