Max Gratchev

2007-08 Update: October 1, 2007: Max Gratchev returned to the QMJHL's Rimouski Oceanic from the New York Islanders training camp and made his season debut in the Oceanic's fifth game of the season on September 23, 2007 vs. the Victoriaville Tigres. Gratchev went on to record his first goal of the season in the following game, a 4-3 loss vs. the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles on September 25th. He also recorded an assist in a 4-3 loss vs. the Shawinigan Cataractes on Sept. 29th. Rimouski recorded a 3-4-1 record during the month of September. They opened the season 3-1-0 but went 0-3-1 when Gratchev returned to the lineup.

	Isles Select LW Max Gratchev 106th Overall
	July 23, 2007:  LW Max Gratchev Born: Sept 26, 1988, Novosibrisk, RUS 2006-07: Rimouski (QMJHL) Shoots: Left ISS:  39th overall From THN: Gratchev was born in Russia, but played all his youth hockey in the United States and is now playing in the Quebec League. Scouts like the skill and gumption of Gratchev, who missed being draft eligible last year by 11 days.

"He's a fireball," a scout said. "He's not a great skater, but he's quick from the faceoff circle to the net."

Islanders QMJHL Scout Mario Saraceno: Max was originally drafted by Quebec of the QMJHL, but was traded to Rimouski. He's a high-energy and intense player, who can play on either wing. He's a guy with flare. Max is a player who never takes a shift off and has good skating ability. He's someone who would play well under Ted Nolan. He developed a good scoring touch this year. Max is effective on the power play, but can also kill penalties. We're all very happy we got him. I can see him one day suiting up for the Islanders. (from nyi.com)

CSB:

Central Scouting Report: A hard working forward with a good two-way game… has good speed and creates chances with his tenacity… carries the puck with confidence and has quick feet… needs to make better decisions with his passes and improve his on-ice awareness.

Personal Profile: Nickname is Gratch… wears #93 because he arrived in America in 1993… admires his dad and credits him for having the most influence on his career because he has taught him everything… patterns his game after his favorite player, Buffalo’s Maxim Afinogenov – “he’s fast, skilled and is a scorer”… taking a nap and a walk are part of his pre-game rituals… most memorable hockey game played: 2006 Canada-Russia Challenge with the QMJHL “because it was a big rivalry”… most memorable hockey game watched: 1972 Summit Series between Canada and the Soviet Union… if he had the chance to have dinner with any three people he would invite: his childhood idol Sergei Fedorov, actor Jim Carey and former NFL coach Vince Lombardi “because he had a great passion for winning”… favorites include: Buffalo Sabres (NHL team), “fake shot and deke” (shootout move), NHL 2007 (video game), Prison Break (TV show),West Side Story (movie), Jim Carey (actor) and Metallica (group).

ISS:

Skill: Excellent puck skills - Strong on PP / PK - Reads the game well - Dangerous player in offensive zone - Quick release.

Scouting Report: Highly skilled winger, with extremely good offensive instructs. He seems to be a step ahead with his vision/decision making which gives him a good passing game. Has a tremendous nose for the net. Has an accurate shot, to go along with a very quick release. Two attributes that are needed to score at the next level. His size, strength and d-zone play are still areas of concern. Has an accurate shot, to go along with a very quick release. Two attributes that are needed to score at the next level.

NHL Potential: 2nd Line scoring Winger; quick feet and hands make him dangerous around net.

Style compares to: Ales Kotalik.

2006-07 Highlights:

* Named third star with a goal and an assist in 6-4 loss at Rouyn-Noranda Huskies October 15, 2006.
* Named second star with 2 goals (1 PP-EN) and 2 assists in 7-5 win at Baie-Comeau Drakkar 10/21/06.
* Named third star with a goal and an assist in 6-4 loss vs. Drummondville Voltigeurs November 3, 2006.
* Named second star with a goal (PP) and 2 assists in 6-2 win vs. Baie-Comeau Drakkar Nov. 14, 2006.
* Named first star with 2 assists in 5-2 win vs. Lewiston Maineiacs December 8, 2006.
* Named second star with 2 goals (1 PP) in 5-4 win at Baie-Comeau Drakkar December 29, 2006.
* Named first star with 3 goals (2 PP) in 6-3 win at Shawinigan Cataractes January 7, 2007.
* Named first star with 2 goals & GW-SO goal in 6-5 SO win at Halifax Mooseheads February 4, 2007.
* Named first star with 2 goals (1 PP) and an assist in 5-4 SO loss vs. Baie-Comeau Drakkar 3/11/07.

2005-06 Highlights:

* Named third star with 2 goals (1 PP) in 6-4 loss at Baie-Comeau Drakkar September 18, 2005.
* Named second star with 2 goals (1 PP) in 6-3 win vs. St. John's Fog Devils September 30, 2005.
* Named first star with 4 assists in 6-4 win vs. Lewiston Maineiacs December 9, 2005.
* Named third star with an assist & SO goal in 4-3 SO win vs. P.E.I. Rocket February 22, 2006.
* Named third star with a goal (GW-SH) and an assist in 7-2 win vs. Rouyn-Noranda Huskies 2/26/06.

Gratchev and Sawyer win TELUS player of the week awards
lhjmq.qc.ca, February 5, 2007

BOUCHERVILLE, Monday, February 5, 2007 – Rimouski Océanic forward Maxime Gratchev and Cape Breton Screaming Eagles defenseman Jean-Claude Sawyer were named the TELUS offensive and defensive players of the week for the period extending from January 29 to February 4.

In three games, Gratchev scored five goals, including two game-winners, and added one assist. He played his best game against the Mooseheads on Sunday. Indeed, trailing 4-0, the Océanic mounted an unbelievable comeback as Gratchev scored twice and delivered the game-winner in the shootout to help the Océanic win 6-5 in Halifax. Following the contest, Gratchev was crowned the game’s first star. The Océanic have won their last six games and are trying to catch the Shawinigan Cataractes who are holding on to the last playoff spot in the TELUS division standings.

Jakub Voracek (2-7-9) of the Mooseheads, David Desharnais (2-6-8) of the Saguenéens and Ruslan Bashkirov (4-3-7) of the Remparts were also considered.

Max Gratchev is walking a tightrope.

As a 14-year-old eighth grader playing for the Catholic Memorial varsity, Max Gratchev talked about playing in the NHL someday. Now, as various scouting services project him to be a potential late-first or early-second round pick in June’s NHL draft, the 18-year-old Gratchev, formerly of Stoughton, Mass., and now Billerica, is excited about realizing his dream, but trying hard to keep his focus on the ice.

“I think about it quite a bit,” said Gratchev, a speedy and skilled winger for the Rimouski Oceanic of the QMJHL. “My No. 1 goal is to get drafted as high as possible. Hockey is what I want to do with my career. I don’t pay attention to the rankings, just what (agent) Jay (Fee) tells me the scouts are saying and I try to improve on all the stuff he’s telling me.

“I try to take it day by day and not look back and improve every day. I never want to let it get to my head.”

With dad Igor around, the chances of letting it get to his head are slim. Igor Gratchev played for the Russian Red Army and he understands sacrifice and hardship. His wife died giving birth to Max in Siberia. Igor left Max with family for a while to come to the U.S. and earn money to start them off. When he went back to get Max, the family member had fled with him. Finding him, getting out of Russia and back to the U.S. was the stuff movies are made of.

Igor and Max Gratchev don’t let things go to their head. Instead they do just the opposite. Following the lead of Malden, Mass., native Joey Ryan, a former Quebec teammate, Max Gratchev went to Rimouski team officials with the idea of hosting a young cancer patient and his family at home games.

Gratchev gives them a tour of the locker room, takes some pictures, signs some autographs and provides seats behind the bench.

“We have great fans here,” said Gratchev. “I saw Joey doing that nice thing. He showed he cared about more than just hockey. I love it here and I just wanted to do something for them too.”

He hosted his first family in late November.

“It’s kind of inspiring,” Gratchev said. “He asked me to score a goal for him. I was really happy when I scored. You could see his face light up when I gave him the puck. It was a great feeling.”

A different kind of great feeling should come June 23 at the NHL Entry Draft in Columbus, Ohio. The NHL Central Scouting Service ranked Gratchev as the sixth-best draft prospect in the Q. The International Scouting Service and the Red Line Report, each of which compiles draft rankings of all positions from all leagues and all countries, have Gratchev at 21 and 31, respectively.

Gratchev was averaging about a point per game for a young and struggling Rimouski club by mid-December. While the team wasn’t winning, Gratchev doesn’t regret last year’s trade that sent him from eventual Memorial Cup champ Quebec to Rimouski.

“I wasn’t getting a chance to play that much there,” Gratchev said. “I came to Rimouski, I had so many more opportunities. My game has improved so much since the trade. My most important thing is my confidence level is so high right now. With this team, I am one of the go-to guys on the ice and I’m getting a lot of ice time every night.”

At 5-foot-11 and 198 pounds, Gratchev has filled out and improved his physical play. Known for his skating and offensive skills, Gratchev has worked hard at improving his all-around game in all three zones.

“In terms of how he projects, with the way the new NHL is played at a high speed and a high tempo, it’s more and more to Max’s strengths,” said Fee, Gratchev’s agent. “He’s a dynamic game-breaker type with skill. He’s worked hard in the defensive zone and winning the 1-on-1 battles.

“It’s too early to say, but the preliminary opinions expect him to go fairly high in the draft.”

Gratchev has moved around quite a bit since his CM days and he was asked if he had a preference as to which NHL club picked him.

“It would be nice to be the Bruins, but it doesn’t matter,” Gratchev said. “It would be an honor to be drafted by any team.”

Vindication and victory
by Stan Grossfeld, Boston Globe, Dec. 19, 2006

Max Gratchev, the 14-year-old Siberian Express hockey player, has been ill. His father is visiting relatives in Siberia, and Max's eighth-grade homeroom teacher says Max is arriving for school disheveled.

Max's situation isn't much better on the ice for Catholic Memorial. ''He looks lost out there sometimes,'' coach Bill Hanson says. It's a new semester, and Max, who speaks fluent English, has survived Latin but now must take French. ''It's crazy,'' he says.

For the Feb. 15 game against Arlington, Max forgets his game jersey. Hanson lends him the No. 1 jersey that belongs to junior Joe Hubbard, the third-string goalie. The score is tied with less than 30 seconds remaining when Max gets the puck. He tries to go around an Arlington defenseman, who poke-checks it off Max's skate.

Max shoots.

Max scores.

Pandemonium.

''Somehow, it got in,'' Max says moments later. ''I didn't even see it go in.''

''I hate Russians, but I love this kid,'' CM assistant coach Chris Nilan says.

During the 10-day February school break, CM holds regular practices. Except for one day when Max's dad, Igor, the former Red Army player, conducts an hourlong skating clinic. Gratchev wound up as a hockey tutor because of an incident in a men's league game seven years ago.

''This guy was giving me so much crap, we really went at it, fighting,'' Gratchev recalls. ''Later, I said, `Who the hell is this guy?' It was Terry O'Reilly, and afterwards, we became friends. He said, `Let me help you.' He set me up with Mike Milbury, and I started helping with Russian players.''

Gratchev Impressing Remparts with Max Effort
by Bill Keefe, New England Hockey Journal, Nov. 2004

Age has never been a factor in Max Gratchev’s hockey career.

He made waves when he played as an eighth grader for Catholic Memorial (West Roxbury, Mass.) during its 2003 state championship run. He jumped to Thayer Academy last year and scored more than two points per game as a freshman.

Recently, the Stoughton, Mass., resident by way of Russia was seeing action with a pair of high NHL draft picks on the top line of Patrick Roy’s Quebec Remparts of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. The second-youngest player in the league, Gratchev didn’t turn 16 until after he had already potted a goal and two assists in the first four games.

“I’m very impressed,” said Roy, the all-time great goaltender and co-owner of the Remparts. “He plays with a lot of passion and heart out there. He’s not intimidated by the play. He’s working extremely hard; he’s been brought up working hard. He has a lot of energy out there and is skating very well.

“He will dominate in our league eventually. We have a great deal of expectation for him.”

A left winger, Gratchev had been playing on a line with South Boston’s Kevin Coughlin and center Simon Courcelles during the preseason and the first two regular season games. He was then placed with captain and center Josh Hennessy (Rockland, Mass.) and Alex Radulov. Hennessy was selected in the second round, 43rd overall, by San Jose in the 2004 NHL draft, while Nashville tabbed Radulov in the first round, 15th overall.

“I dream of being in the NHL,” says Gratchev, “and these guys have already been drafted and Patrick Roy is a Hall of Famer. I don’t even know how to explain it.”

Gratchev’s father, Igor, had a long career with the Russian Red Army team. He has directed camps and skills clinics and worked in hockey since he came to the United States. Max was 5 years old when he came to Massachusetts and has soaked up much of what his father taught.

Max said he picked up the best of the European style of play and combined it with the North American style. At 5-foot-10 and 182 pounds – and still growing – he’s not afraid to play along the boards, but his skating and creativity are what set him apart.

Deciding to play Canadian Major Junior can be a tough decision because of the loss of NCAA eligibility. But after just one year of high school, Gratchev knew where he wanted to go.

“I saw a (junior) game last year and the hockey was just awesome,” he said. “It was quick and fun to watch with a lot of skill play. College is more hitting and dump and chase. This is more skill play and what I like to play. It’s almost like a pro game.

“I love hockey. That’s what I want do. I think it’s the best decision I could have made.”

Thayer Thumps St. Seb’s; Wins Keller
ushr.com, Feb. 28, 2004

Chestnut Hill, Mass. –Diminutive freshman center Brian Gibbons had a four-point afternoon (1g,3a) and senior goalie Dan Beauregard kicked out 30 shots to lead Thayer to a 7-2 win over St. Sebastian’s in the annual Arthur Valicenti Cup at BC’s Conte Forum this afternoon.

The win clinched the Keller Division of the ISL for Thayer, who will also be heading to the prep quarterfinals on Wednesday.

The game was close early on, with Thayer scoring the only goal of the first period as freshman wing Max Gratchev, all alone at one corner of the crease, banged home a puck that emerged from a jammed-up scrum at the opposite corner. The goal, a power play goal, came at the 15:52 mark, and came right after St. Seb’s rang one off the crossbar at the opposite end.

In the final seconds of the period, Beauregard made a nice save to hold Thayer’s lead.

In the second period, Thayer, on the power play, went up 2-0 when Gratchev fed Gibbons who took it into the St. Seb’s end, then made a nice backhanded pass to Ryan Joyce below the hash marks. Joyce buried it at the 6:00 mark.

Thayer went up 3-0 when junior wing Matt Harrington scored on a wraparound at 11:51.

St. Seb’s got on the board at 12:59 when Doug Rogers snapped one top corner past Beauregard to cut the Thayer lead to 3-1.

St. Seb’s had the edge in shots in the second, 16-9.

In the third, things fell apart for the Arrows, who took a bunch of penalties and had difficulty killing them. St. Seb’s defensemen allowed their opponents to score three goals in which Tiger forwards skated virtually unimpeded out of the corner. Greg Collins did it, Gibbons did it, Harrington did it. Pierce Norton, also scored, banging home the rebound of an Anthony Aiello shot from the right point.

With 55 seconds left in the game, Todd Davis scored for St. Sebastian’s, but it was, of course, way too little, and way too late.      

Afterward, Thayer head coach Larry Rooney credited his goalie. “Beauregard was the difference in the first period and much of the second. We weren’t really playing that smart defensively in front of him. Eventually, though, we started to put the puck away.”

Asked if he though at the beginning of the season that his team would emerge as the Keller champs, Rooney said that, “On paper I knew we were skilled. I figured we could finish in the top half of the division, maybe the top 2-3 spots. We surprised people, I think. Belmont Hill surprised people, too.”

As for the playoffs, Rooney said, “I haven’t really thought about it. We just have to be ready.”

#5 Thayer Too Much for #6 Belmont Hill
ushr.com, Feb. 13, 2004

Belmont, Mass. – Thayer Academy broke open a 2-2 game with three goals in the final three minutes of the second period en route to a decisive 6-3 win over Belmont Hill here this evening.

Freshman LW Max Gratchev (2g,1a), junior RW Pierce Norton (2g,1a), senior RW Jimmy Russo (1g,1a), and junior defenseman Ryan Joyce (2a) led the scoring parade for the visitors. Freshman defenseman Kevin McNamara had two assists for Belmont Hill.

Thayer’s three-goal explosion, which gave Thayer the lead for good, started with a powerplay tally off the stick of Norton – his second of the game. The South Boston native broke down the right side and, possibly utilizing a screen, snapped it by Belmont Hill sophomore goalie Wes Vesperini low to the stick side with 2:58 left in the period. Freshman center Brian Gibbons and senior d-man Ryan Feldoff picked up assists on the play.

Belmont Hill’s Matt Gordon had a great chance to regain the tie when the play went back down to Thayer’s end, but couldn’t convert.

With 53 seconds left, Thayer’s Gratchev fired a shot from the left point that beat Vesperini over his right shoulder.

Then, with 4.7 seconds on the clock, and Belmont Hill struggling to get the puck out of their end, Thayer junior LW Greg Collins swept home the rebound of an Anthony Aiello shot to put Thayer up 5-3 going into the second intermission.

Thayer upped their lead to 6-2 with a third-period goal by Jimmy Russo, with assists going to Gibbons and Norton.

That put the game out of reach.

Belmont Hill freshman LW Mark Dube scored with 3:14 remaining to account for the final 6-3 margin of victory.

Prior to Thayer’s late-second period outburst, this was a tight game, with good up and down action, a quick tempo, and some rugged physical play, particularly by Thayer.

Thayer scored the only first-period goal when defenseman Ryan Joyce nudged the puck from inside his own blue line to Gratchev in the neutral zone. Gratchev got it up to Norton who put it past Belmont Hill goaltender Chris Mannix (he and Vesperini split games 50-50 for Belmont Hill, and today was no different).

In the second, Gratchev made it 2-0 Thayer at the 4:39 mark, tucking the puck past Mannix from a few feet out.

About a minute later, Belmont Hill cut it to 2-1 when junior defenseman Brian McCafferty took a high shot that looked like it was going over the net. Thayer goaltender Dan Beauregard got a piece of it with his glove, but it appeared to roll down his arm and bounce into the net.

Belmont Hill tied it up when Chris Galvin got the puck to junior John Balben, who redirected it past Beauregard with 5:46 left in the period.

Several minutes later, Thayer exploded for three and put the game out of reach.

Thayer took 10 penalties (three to Norton), while Belmont Hill was whistled for six.

Thayer outshot Belmont Hill 34-21.

Afterward, Thayer coach Larry Rooney said his players “played a sound game -- We forechecked, we backchecked, and we got the puck to the net.”

“We got guys who were in a slump, like Gratchev and Norton, back on track. We hit when the hits were there. We blocked shots. We won the little battles.”

The key to the game, Rooney said, was the powerplay goal that made it 3-2. “Joe Rosano drew a penalty when he drove to the net and was hauled down. I told him he deserved an assist on the goal.”

Rooney said his team had come out slow the previous few games. Today, he said,“I saw us play with intensity and a sense of urgency.”

Thayer success on ice has roots in past
Team gets off to 16-0-2 start
by Paul Harber, Boston Globe, Jan. 22, 2004

There are also six freshmen who have contributed to Thayer's unbeaten run. Max Gratchev, a 15-year-old from Stoughton, has one year of high school hockey experience under his belt. As an eighth-grader, he played for MIAA super power Catholic Memorial.

Gratchev wanted to enroll in Thayer as a seventh-grader, but there were no openings, according to Rooney. "There are about 70 students in the middle school, but it opens up in the high school. We have something like 110 in the freshman class," he said.

Gratchev has hockey in his blood. His father, Igor, played for the Soviet Army team before immigrating to America from Novosibirsk, Siberia.

Gratchev "reminds me of Tony Amonte, the way he plays the game," said the coach. "He's quick, very fast and he's always hustling."

2002-03 Catholic Memorial HS

8th grade sensation Max Gratchev (88) has been one of the biggest offensive surprises of the year.