Mikhail Grabovski facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mikhail GrabovskiМихаил Грабовский |
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Grabovski with the New York Islanders in 2015
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| Born | 31 January 1984 Potsdam, East Germany |
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| Height | 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) | ||
| Weight | 185 lb (84 kg; 13 st 3 lb) | ||
| Position | Centre | ||
| Shot | Left | ||
| Played for | Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk Dynamo Moscow Montreal Canadiens Toronto Maple Leafs CSKA Moscow Washington Capitals New York Islanders |
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| National team |  Belarus |
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| NHL Draft | 150th overall, 2004 Montreal Canadiens |
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| Playing career | 2003–2016 | ||
Mikhail Grabovski (born January 31, 1984) is a former professional ice hockey player from Belarus. He was born in Germany. Mikhail played as a centre in the National Hockey League (NHL) for 10 seasons. After he stopped playing, he became an assistant coach for HC Dinamo Minsk in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).
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Early Life and Beginnings
Mikhail Grabovski was born in Potsdam, East Germany. His father, Yury, worked there for the Soviet military. When Mikhail was three years old, his family moved back to their home country, Belarus. At that time, Belarus was part of the Soviet Union.
Playing in the NHL
Mikhail Grabovski was chosen by the Montreal Canadiens in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft. He was the 150th player picked overall. His first NHL game was on January 6, 2007, against the New York Rangers.
He played only a few games with the Canadiens before going to their minor league team. This team was the Hamilton Bulldogs in the American Hockey League (AHL). He helped the Bulldogs win the Calder Cup in the 2006–07 season. This cup is given to the AHL champions.
Joining the Toronto Maple Leafs
On July 3, 2008, Grabovski was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs. In his first full season with the Maple Leafs, he scored 20 goals. He also had 48 points, which was great for a rookie in the Eastern Conference.
The Maple Leafs were happy with his performance. They signed him to a new contract for three years. In the 2010–11 season, he scored 58 points. This was the most points by a Maple Leafs centre since Mats Sundin in 2007–08. On March 6, 2012, Toronto signed him to another big contract for five years.
Playing During the Lockout
In 2012, the NHL season was delayed because of a lockout. During this time, Grabovski played for CSKA Moscow in the KHL. When the NHL season started again, he played 48 games. However, he was unexpectedly released by the Maple Leafs on July 4, 2013.
Time with the Capitals and Islanders
After leaving Toronto, Grabovski signed a one-year contract with the Washington Capitals. In his very first game with the Capitals, he scored three goals! This is called a hat-trick in hockey. He finished the 2013–14 season with 35 points in 58 games.
On July 2, 2014, Grabovski signed a four-year contract with the New York Islanders. He joined the Islanders with his good friend Nikolay Kulemin. They both wanted to play on the same team. Unfortunately, Mikhail had many injuries while with the Islanders. A serious concussion kept him from playing at all in the 2016–17 season.
In 2017, the Vegas Golden Knights picked a player from the Islanders. As part of that deal, Grabovski's contract was also traded to the Golden Knights. He wanted to play for them, but his injuries kept him off the ice. He never played a game for the Golden Knights.
In June 2019, Mikhail Grabovski announced that he was retiring from playing hockey. He said he wanted to try being a coach instead.
Coaching Career
On June 15, 2019, Grabovski became an assistant coach for HC Dinamo Minsk in the KHL. This is the same league he played in during the NHL lockout.
International Hockey
Mikhail Grabovski also played for the Belarus national team. He played in many big international tournaments.
 Grabovski with Team Belarus |
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| Medal record | ||
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| Representing Belarus |
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| Men's ice hockey | ||
| Ice Hockey World Championships | ||
| Gold | 2004 Norway | Division I Group A |
| World Junior Ice Hockey Championships | ||
| Gold | 2004 France | Division I Group B |
He scored four goals in the 2005 IIHF World Championship. He was even named the best player in one game against Austria. He was chosen to play for Belarus at the 2010 Winter Olympics. However, he could not play because of an injury. A few months later, he did play in the 2010 IIHF World Championship. He was named captain of the Belarus team for the 2011 IIHF World Championship. In total, he played in seven major international tournaments for his country.
Personal Life
Mikhail Grabovski and his wife, Kate Van Alstyne, have three children. Their first child, a daughter, was born on December 30, 2010. Mikhail missed a Maple Leafs game to be there for her birth. Their second child, a son, was born on December 6, 2011. They named their son Jaeger, after the famous singer Mick Jagger. Their third child, Charlie, was born on December 13, 2017.
